Far Away
by Fairly Odd New Yorker
Summary: DISCONTINUED. When a Scare instructor and a top Scarer's paths cross, can they find some common ground or will all end in disaster? I stink at summaries- revamp of my old story 'Tear in Your Hand' - Randall/OC
1. Not My Type

**(A/N)-** This is a revamped remake of Tear in Your Hand, since that fanfic had so many many problems with it and I'll be deleting it in a couple days. My aim with this was to make it somewhat fluffy but not Mary Sue, and whenever it gets fluffy I save it with something completely unfluffy. I hope I've achieved that. ;) Also sorry for the dumb chapter names and the dumb ones that are soon to come. ;P

P.S- I won't let this thing die!! So please, review, and fuel my inspiration while it lasts! ;)

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**Chapter 1 - Not My Type**

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The sun was rising over the city of Monstropolis, and Sandra was heading off to work at Monsters Inc. a little over an hour early.

It wasn't because she _had_ to - quite frankly, she had nothing better to do. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night and had been up since five as it was - she didn't feel like waiting another couple of hours until she had to be in at work. She just wanted something to do, and she wanted the day over with.

Lucky for her, there wasn't much traffic - not that it really mattered. She had walked since, because of the scream shortage, she'd given up her car seeing as she was only a short walk away from work and any place she'd have to get to.

She stopped at the crosswalk and took a look at herself. She was mainly a dark purple color, with a warm goldenrod underbelly, with a jagged trail of dark forest green that trailed behind her head, down her back, blending to black along her very long and very thin tail that curled into a circle. She had yellow eyes (the color of her underbelly) with red cat-like pupils. Atop her head were four sharp slender black fronds, tipped with red. She had three sets of limbs - two pairs of legs and one pair of arms, and each were finger-tipped with dangerously looking silver claws.

Sure, she was fearsome. Maybe Roz was right ... Roz suggested that Sandra become a Scarer, rather than stay in her position as a trainer for potential Scarers. Personally, she had no experience in scaring, but she supposed they all listened to her because she looked scary and looked very capable of scaring.

'It would be a hell of a lot less paperwork' she thought happily. She'd had to fill out daily reports on each potential Scarer, evaluating their weaknesses and strengths and ... well, their potential. It was tiresome, and she couldn't just write anything, because it would risk an incapable employee of getting contaminated by a human child ... not that the risk wasn't already there for any Scarer of any level.

Aside from the fact she had about five times the amount of paperwork that any average Scarer would have; she'd always managed to hand them in on time.

"Good morning Roz," Sandra greeted, plopping her stack of paperwork onto the slug-monster's desk. She grinned slightly and adjusted her glasses, "You never fail me, Clemens." she said slowly, "What're you doing here so early?"

"Had nothing better to do," she admitted.

"How'd you get in?"

"Needleman," she said shortly.

"What?"

"The janitor."

Roz sent her a wry grin, "Special friend of yours?"

Sandra rolled her eyes, "Please. He's still a teenager, and he's not my type."

Roz laughed shortly, "Then what is your type?"

"Hey Roz," a male voice greeted tiredly, and Sandra didn't turn around, just stepped out of the way. He stood beside her and handed Roz his paperwork.

Sandra glanced at him. He was a lizard monster, like herself, except he had two pairs of arms and no claws, just gecko-like tips. He was a pale purple, and not at all as scary as herself. He had a wide mouth with sharp teeth, and his eyes were like a chameleons, and of an emerald color. He had three fronds atop his head, tipped with pale pink, and a light blue ran down his back and down to his tail.

He glanced at her and she looked away, pretending not to notice him.

"Were you sleeping here again?" Roz asked him.

"I was up late helping Waternoose with a few things," he replied shortly, seeming a little disgruntled at her prying.

"And yet you still had time to finish your paperwork," Roz said slowly, shaking her head, "Get some rest, Boggs."

He merely grunted in response. Sandra looked over to Roz, giving 'Boggs' a fleeting glance, in which their eyes met again. She looked away again, and he wandered off.

Sandra resumed her spot in front of Roz's desk, peering around at the reptilian monster as he headed off to the Scare Floor. She looked back to Roz, who was grinning mischievously.

"He is _not_ my type," she said flatly, and snatched a mint from Roz's desk before heading off to the Training Room.

--

"KEN! _Keh_-en! What're you doing??" she asked hysterically.

The fuzzy monster peered wide-eyed from under his bangs, his furry paws clamped over his ears.

"My ears are _delicate_!!" he screamed, "I don't like the _screaming_!!"

"Ken, I've turned the screaming off," Sandra said, massaging her forehead in frustration.

"_What??_" Ken shouted back, and the other trainees burst into laughter. Ken looked over to see that the robot child was no longer screaming and was nestled back under the covers. He removed his hands from his ears and his face turned red with embarrassment.

"You'll never be good Scarers if you're afraid of screaming," she said, turning to the rest, taking the spotlight off Ken. The trainees quickly began to write it down on their clipboards - probably to seem attentive, because this was really just common knowledge that anyone could assume, "Forget who you are in your everyday lives - when you enter a child's bedroom, you must become most ferocious, most terrifying, all without touching or getting to close to the kid. How is that done, anyone?" she asked. A small one-eyed monster raised his hand nervously.

"Joe?" she asked, pointing to him.

"You roar as loud as possible?" he asked.

"Exactly," she said with a grin, "Of course there are other methods to properly scare a child - one must know their own abilities. Some can scare with merely a look, a grin, or some quick movement. Loud noise, however, is key. It almost always will frighten any child, but if you find yourself in a position where you attempt to scare first, and you do not scare the child, what must you do?"

The trainees looked dumbfounded. Sandra heard Ken grunt to get attention.

"Ken," she acknowledged.

"You run like hell?"

The trainees burst into laughter.

Sandra suppressed a smile, "Yes, but it's better that one attempts to scare again, but no more than twice - there are no third chances. A second attempt would risk you becoming contaminated, but remember that the CDA is always one call away, and you'll be decontaminated before you can say 'child'."

The trainees murmured in awe as they hurried to write all this down.

"You're all dismissed," she said, and grabbed up her clipboard and before heading out.

She inhaled a deep breath of relief once out in the hallway, and searched the pockets of her sweater for her locker keys. She'd just grasped the keys when she heard a voice, "That was nicely handled."

She jumped slightly, and looked around to see 'Boggs' standing there with a reproachful smile on his face.

"Are you stalking me?" she asked, turning away and continuing to walk down the hallway.

"Nah, just checking out how the trainees were doing and there you were." he said with a grin.

"How convenient."

"So, d'you have any experience in scaring?" he asked as he walked alongside her.

"No," she said, coming to a stop, looking at him a moment before pretending to shuffle through her keys, "Don't tell the trainees that - they'll be heartbroken," she said, and continued to walk towards the locker room.

"Really?" he asked, "I mean, someone like you; you look like you got your work cut out for you."

"Excuse me?" she asked, a little offended as she stopped to look him in the eyes.

"Not in a mean way," he said, putting his hands up in defense, "what I meant was you're ..."

"Scary." she finished for him.

"No, not really - to a human child maybe, but that'll make your job easier," he said, "With looks alone you could rule the Scarefloor!" he exclaimed.

She laughed humorlessly, and began walking away again, "Stop flattering me - I know Roz must've put you up to this --"

"No she didn't,"

"And I'll tell you what I told her," she said, stopping again, "-constant insisting will just make me back further away." she said with a grin, and stepped off to disappear into the locker room.

"I'm not-- I'm just--" he groaned as he lost his train of thought, but she'd disappeared into the locker room, leaving him to stand there.

"I don't even know your name," he called, but was doubtful she'd hear.

"It's Sandra," she said, appearing beside him, startling him.

She stuck her forked tongue out between clenched teeth, "Hehehe," she snickered evilly, "Payback for earlier," she explained briefly before heading into the locker room again.

"I'm Randall," he called back, once he'd regained himself.

"Nice to meet you," she answered in the middle of a laugh, and he thought she was probably being sarcastic. He couldn't help but smile though, as he headed off into the men's locker room - whether or not she wanted to be a Scarer - she definitely had it in her.

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**(A/N)-** Review please! And be kind about it because - don't worry, it gets better. ;) I'm horrible at beginnings, sorry. :(


	2. We Meet Again

**(A/N)- **Thank you SylverStrike, for reviewing. :)

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**Chapter 2 - We Meet Again**

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"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Roz asked slowly as Sandra stood, elbows on Roz's counter, leaning over to see what the secretary was filling out.

"I've got a late class today," Sandra explained briefly, running her claws through her fronds.

"Why's that?"

"They're having a tour of the Scarefloor." she said, peering over her shoulder and glancing about the area.

Roz chuckled, "I'm surprised you're not there with them," she said.

"Why?" she asked, indifferently, though she knew what Roz meant.

"I thought you'd want to see Boggs again."

"Pfft!" Sandra snorted, "Yeah right - everyone knows that Scarers are competitive and full of themselves," she said matter-of-factly, "I don't like monsters that are like that."

"Then why are you looking around for him?" she asked with a smirk.

"I'm not looking _around_ for him," she said, "I'm looking _out_ for him."

"What's the difference?"

"When I see him coming, I'll run," she said simply, folding her arms and leaning over as she tried to get a closer look at what Roz was filling out.

Roz groaned angrily, "Get outta here before I call security," she said, holding back a smile.

"Oo, I'm frightened,_ slugmug_," she teased, and Roz reached to pull the window closed onto Sandra's arms, and she scampered off.

She'd only turned the corner when she wound up slamming right into someone, hard, causing her scales to turn a light shade of purple. She grimaced, blending back to her normal color as she looked up at Randall.

"You should watch where you're going!" he snapped, before he'd realized it was her, "Oh ..." he said, "Sorry about that. Haven't had my coffee," he excused with a nervous smile.

"Shouldn't you be on the Scarefloor?" she asked, raising a brow.

"I went on break," he dismissed.

"Uh huh," she said, nodding, "Are you so high up that you can do that in the middle of a shift?" she asked.

He looked confused, and laughed shortly, "Well, _yeah_," he said, "I _am_ the top Scarer. Didn't you know that?"

She shook her head, "Nope, sorry, don't keep up with that sort of thing ..." she admitted, and smirked, folding her arms, "What- were you trying to impress me or something?"

He shrugged, smiling coyly, "I was just stating a fact," he said.

She laughed lightly, "Ya know, you're not so bad for one so ..."

"High up?" he asked, using her own words.

She laughed, blushing, "Yeeah ..." she admitted, and sighed, "well, I gotta go."

"Where you headed?" he asked.

"Work," she replied shortly, and added with a smile, "somewhere you _should_ be." and she disappeared around the corner.

--

The day was over for her. Sandra sat at her desk, filling out the rest of her paperwork, when Randall suddenly appeared in front of her, making her jump.

"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"

She sighed, and took her time before answering, eyes darting about her paper as she continued to fill it out, "I hardly know you."

"You've met me three times already."

"I _still_ hardly know you," she said, cutting a look at him before flipping the page and continuing to fill out her evaluation of Ken.

"Isn't that the point of a date?" he asked hopefully, "To get to know one another?"

"Yes, but ..." she paused as she she held her pen just off of the paper, and groaned in frustration, "that doesn't change the fact that I have paperwork to do."

"Want me to help?" he asked, coming around to the other side of the desk.

She looked crossly at him, "You're only going to help so that I can go out to dinner with you."

"If you want to," he said, shrugging, "but if not, then I'll just help."

She raised a brow at him, and shook her head, handing him half of her pile, "You don't know them, so just write anything - but not too much good things; I don't want them to be picked out to be Scarers yet 'cause all of them are nowhere near ready for that yet ..."

"Really?" he asked, taking one of the seats left by the trainees, and reaching over for a pen, "You think they would be, with a teacher like you."

She blushed and replied, annoyed, "Don't flatter me like that - it sounds so fake," she ran her claws through her fronds, folding a leg over her knee, "I don't have any experience as a Scarer, remember? That's why." she said, "Though Sheri hasn't had any experience either ... we're like therapists," she explained, glancing at him, "We haven't much experience but we can relate, sorta put ourselves in other monster's shoes ..."

"But most monsters don't wear shoes," he reminded with a grin.

She laughed shortly, "You _know_ what I mean."

They spent awhile in silence as they finished up the paperwork, with Randall occasionally asking what to put down as their rating - Sandra never gave them high enough ratings to pass her classes, because none were good enough for that, but she'd tell him when to give the lowest - on the ones she felt either needed a serious amount of work, or for them to reconsider another job in the company or elsewhere.

Once they'd finished, Randall asked her again, "So will you go out with me?"

She sighed, tapping the papers on the desk to straighten them all out, "You're a nice guy, but ..." she shrugged, "I-I can't."

"Why not?" he asked, sounding a little hurt.

She shook her head, and shrugged her head, "I dunno. Some other time, maybe," she said, "I know, you're top Scarer and probably used to getting your way, but ..."

"I don't always get my way," he retorted, folding both sets of arms.

"Well, now you're not," she said, sticking out her tongue, "Some other time, maybe," she said, getting up, "I'm thankful that you helped me with my paperwork, anyway ..."

"Could you at least let me walk you out to your car?" he asked.

"Sure, whatever floats your boat," she said, walking out ahead of him, rolling her eyes. She smirked as he followed her, and she added, "But I didn't drive here - I walked. I'm one of the few people in this company who's set on saving scream, not spending it."

"I walked too," he said.

She stopped, facing him, "You did not," she said in disbelief.

"I did too," he said, grinning.

She laughed, and said sarcastically, "Wow, that must make us soul mates or something," she said, rolling her eyes, "Anyways, I don't live too far away ..." she said as they approached the front doors.

"Neither do I," Randall said with that annoying grin again.

She froze, staring at him as the automatic doors opened for them. She pointed off to the right, "In that direction?" she asked.

"No," he said, "To the left."

She blinked, "That was a trick question, you know," she said, heading out, "I pointed in that direction thinking you'd think I lived there and therefore you'd say yes, but I really live in the other direction," she said, shaking her head. She stopped, and pointed accusingly at his chest, "If you live right next door to me, no, if you live even on the same _block_ as me," she said, "I'm moving out."

Randall chuckled, "Am I that unbearable?"

"Only when you smile," she admitted as they walked, "I feel as if you're mocking me."

"I'm not." he assured, trying hard not to smile.

She nodded, "But I can't help but think that you are."

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**(A/N)-** I hope to get more reviewers or else I'll just post it elsewhere where SylverStrike can find it only and not the rest who just wanna read and not take time to review. xD Seriously though ... reviews fuel my willingness to continue, so if not here I'll just keep it elsewhere where it is appreciated. :P Just a simple 'I like it' will suffice - anything as long as it isn't mean. xD I understand it's not the best - I'm doing this for fun. ;)


	3. Just Friends

**(A/N)- **Thank you to SylverStrike, Malic, and the anonymous reviewer for reviewing. :) To the anonymous reviewer- this is taking place before the film, and will eventually drift into during the film, and then after the film. I'm sorry I didn't make that part clear. /

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**Chapter 3 - Just Friends**

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Lucky for Randall, he'd only lived on the next block over. Therefore, it was close enough to get on her nerves but not enough for her to want to move out. And seeing as they both walked to work, Randall made sure to stop by her apartment complex to wait for her each morning.

She didn't like it at first - she'd walk far ahead of him, constantly telling him to "go away." When he did not, she pointed him out to the children who were playing on the sidewalk, addressing him as 'the top Scarer' and they'd all run to him in excitement, and amidst them he'd lose her. She loved his popularity, for she used it against him.

But as the days went on, she'd gotten tired of her constant antics and eventually allowed him to walk with her, in the other direction of where the kids were, of course. He wasn't all that bad - she didn't find him attractive or anything, something she suspected he felt about her. She just liked his company - he was someone to talk to other than Roz or, occasionally, Sheri.

It was him being of the opposite gender that she worried about - people were always quick to assume that they were a couple. At least, Roz did, but Roz wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Sandra worried about things she never used to worry about - about what people may be saying or thinking about them being together.

So it became part of routine that, as soon as they got through the doors of M.I., Sandra would disappear, not literally - if he followed, only then would she go invisible. She hadn't much of a reputation to save, but Randall was top Scarer and a representative of the company - she didn't want rumors to fly about them.

Still, despite all her worries, it never stopped her from seeing him at least once a day. Usually of course, it was him seeking her out, but when he didn't, she'd find herself looking for him.

"So are you dating him?" Sheri Flint asked before taking a sip of her coffee - she'd seen them both talking together outside of the training room. They were both waiting for Sheri's trainees to arrive so that they could both teach, as a sort of collaborative process. It seemed only logical, since both their classes seemed to be getting nowhere fast.

"Pfft!" Sandra snorted, "We're just friends," she said, "He's not my type."

"You say that about everyone - I sometimes wonder if that's a good basis to go by," Sheri remarked, and added, "You too do make a good couple, you know."

Sandra rolled her eyes, "Yeah, 'cause we're both reptilian, big whoop."

"No, not only that - sweetie, I haven't seen you so happy before."

Sandra shrugged, "I've found a new friend. Isn't that a reason to be happy?"

"Are you sure there's nothing more there?" Sheri asked.

Sandra shook her head, "Not really, well ... he seems to want to like me as _more_ than a friend, but all I really need right now _is_ a friend."

"Are you sure?" Sheri asked, raising a brow with a smile.

"Yup," she said simply, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Have you ever thought of bringing him in to demonstrate for your class?"

Sandra snorted, "Please. Demonstrate _what_?" she motioned towards the robot child, "That thing screams at the slightest scuffle!"

"Scarers here have done it before," Sheri said, "They could learn from a master, and if anything it'd be nice for them to meet an actual Scarer, to ask him questions and stuff," she said, shrugging, holding up her cup to Sandra, "Every little bit helps," she said, and took another sip.

"I guess I could ..." she laughed shortly, "He does love to show off."

"Well, hurry up and find him then," she said, looking to her watch, "my class should be here any minute."

--

Randall wasn't just outside the door (like she'd expected him to be) so she took a walk over to the Scarefloor he worked at - the one that Roz managed paperwork for. The Scarefloor was empty except for some assistants who were at their desks, collecting up their things before heading out.

She leaned over Roz's desk, "Have you seen Randall?" she asked.

"Who?"

"Boggs."

"Yeah, you just missed him," she said, "You going on a date?"

"What makes you think that?" she asked, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"He looked pretty angry." she said.

"Ha-ha, you're a laugh and a half," she said, rolling her eyes, looking around, wondering to herself what he could be angry about - but she wasn't about to ask Roz why. That would make it appear that Sandra cared.

"They don't just scare once a day, do they?" she asked.

"Nah, he'll be around for the next round in another half an hour," Roz explained. Sandra looked over to the coffee table that had been set up, figuring he was angry because he didn't have his coffee yet, but he wasn't there.

"Any idea where he may be?" Sandra asked hopefully.

Roz raised a brow, and Sandra cut her a look, "Sheri wants him to do a scare demonstration."

"Are you sure if that's what Sheri wants, or if that's what _you_ want?"

"Do you know where he is or not?"

Roz shook her head with a knowing smile, "He should be in the break room - all the Scarers usually hang out there."

"Thanks," Sandra said, and walked off. Several seconds later, she came back, "Where's the break room?"

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**(A/N)-** Sorry that Randall wasn't in this one, and sorry it was cut short. :P Had to even it out into chapters, and if I didn't stop there it would've kept on going and would've been too long of a chapter. :P K, review! :D Sorry for that snippy little note in the last chapter - I just like to get reviews and when I don't get them, I feel as if I'm talking to myself. :P Which happens often, but still ... I truly appreciate them. :)


	4. Scare Demo

**(A/N)-** Sorry that this fic isn't as good as it could be - I did it for fun, and didn't think I'd actually submit it but I did, and now for the chapters that are still being worked on ... well, they're getting better. I hope. o.o I'm just getting self-conscious about 'too much fluff' or 'too much angst' and really, if it weren't going to be posted here, it wouldn't matter ... but it is. :P  
Aaanyways, thank you to my reviewers! :) And readers who don't review. xD  
And thank you, passthepoint, for reviewing - I'm sorry it's not very descriptive but as I said above, it wasn't going to be submitted to and now it has ... I'll keep in mind to be more descriptive. :)

I hope this next chapter isn't short - 'cause I combined it with half of another. xP

* * *

** Chapter 4 - Scare Demo**

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Third room on the right ... third room on the right ... well, that had to be it - the one with a bunch of big monsters coming in and out of. Now, where was Randall?

She turned invisible and got closer, peering into the break room. The room wasn't very big, so it looked rather silly to see all these huge Scarers hanging out in it. They were gathered around the coffee machine in there, talking to a huge blue behemoth with purple polka dots.

Seeing that Randall wasn't in there, she quickly began to search elsewhere. He'd probably be in the locker room, and, invisible or not, she would never even _think_ of going in there.

Lucky for her, she spotted that red jelly-bean of a monster, Fungus, whom she'd never personally met but she knew he was Randall's Scare Assistant. He appeared to be looking for Randall as well, since he stopped by the break room to peer over on his bird-like legs. He hopped once, determined to see over this huge furry orange monster that was by the door, but he gave up and resumed to search.

"Fungus!" she called, without thinking.

The monster jumped at least three feet in the air with a scream. She grabbed him, covering his mouth, remaining invisible. She didn't want to be seen asking about him.

"_Shh_, it's just me, Sandra," she said, "you know, that creepy monster that hangs out with Randall." he calmed down a bit at this, but soon realized that this might not be a good thing, and scrambled. She released him, and he didn't run off like she thought he might.

"Do you know where he is?" she asked, her outline vaguely visible to Fungus - she wasn't all too good at blending.

"I'm looking for him. I have to find him," he explained, "I mean, I don't want to find him but I have to because whether or not he's in a bad mood, I'm still his assistant and --"

"Yeah, shush, all right, I get it," she whispered, "You look like you're talking to yourself. I'll find him, because I need him for a scare demo. I'll tell him you were looking for him," and she ran off down the hallway, zigzagging past other employees.

--

She figured he'd be somewhere quiet, and finally came across him down by the generators. He appeared to just be ... sulking. He was leaning against the wall with both pairs of arms folded. She saw him even though he was invisible - she'd been looking around at eye level, and spotted a sort of twitch in midair, along with the slight baring of his sharp teeth. Reptilians who were able to blend had often learned to find others who were also blending.

"Hey ..." she called softly as she approached him, making herself visible. He turned visible, a frown plastered on his face, "What do you want?" he snapped, obviously angry at being discovered.

She ignored his anger - he'd been getting rather snippy as of late, and it only got worse whenever she'd acknowledge it. "I was looking for you ..." she rubbed her elbow, feeling a little uncomfortable to ask this of him now, "Sheri thought it would be nice if you could demonstrate for us ..." she said, "a scare demo, you know ..."

"What's in it for me?" he asked, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he crossed his arms.

"It'll cheer you up," she said, "These guys look up to Scarers like you."

"Pfft ..." he snorted, and shook his head, looking away.

A thought struck her, "And, if it makes you feel any better, I'll go out to dinner with you tonight," she said with a comforting smile.

"You don't even know what's bothering me and you're already trying to cheer me up."

"Well, it's probably none of my business ..." she drifted off, looking away. Her fronds perked up suddenly and she looked at him, "Wait, it's not something I did, is it?" she asked, a little worried.

He shook his head, forcing a smile, "Nah, it's not ..." he pushed himself off of the wall, "C'mon, let's go to this scare demo thing ..."

She beamed, and, for the first time ever, she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm as he walked. He looked down, shocked, and puzzled, "What if someone sees us?" he asked.

"I don't care if you don't," she said, sticking her tongue out at him through clenched teeth, "Just don't think too far into it," she said with a laugh.

--

Randall put on quite a show. Sure, the stupid robot human was always an over-actor, but Randall was pretty frightening, even to Sandra. He was a master at stealth and snuck up right beside the kid's bed and let out a monstrous roar that seemed so unreal, like you'd never expect such a sound to come out of his mouth. Still, the trainees were impressed, and applauded him for his great work. Sandra did too, despite herself, and faked a yawn just to tease him.

"I'll need you for my class too, later on," she told him once Sheri had led her class out of the training room. "When are you on break again?"

"I ..." he rubbed his neck with a sigh, "Well, I don't feel like going back to scaring today. I'll just hang out here."

She nodded, figuring it had something to do with why he was angry, "Fungus was looking for you though ..." she reminded.

"Fungus is always looking for me but he seriously never wants to find me," he said with a humorless chuckle, "especially after today, he shouldn't."

She sighed, "It's not my business to know what happened, but if you're gonna dangle it in my face ..."

Randall looked to the floor, and shrugged, "I'll tell you later." he said quietly.

She nodded shortly, and checked the clock on her desk. She had a good half an hour until her class.

"Are you really going out with me tonight?" he asked, raising a non-existant brow, "Or are you just pulling my leg?"

"No, I'm serious, I'll go out with you," she said with a small smile, "Anything to cheer you up."

He looked unsure, and then he waved his hand, "Nah, I don't feel like going out in public tonight. Some other night."

She laughed shortly, "Wow, now are you blowing _me_ off?"

"Payback," he said with a forced grin, "But nah, seriously ... I don't feel like it."

She nodded, "All right ..." she turned around in a complete circle in her rolling chair, wondering what else to talk about, and when she faced him again, she realized what she'd been wanting to ask, "Oh! Can you teach me to scare like that?"

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"That was amazing," she said, pointing to the demonstration area, "I want to know how you do it. I can only scare other monsters unintentionally, but seriously, I never got past this stupid simulator."

"You serious?" he asked, "You wanted to be a Scarer?"

She nodded, a little embarrassed, "Well ... yeah. At one point," she admitted, "But that was before I found out there were easier jobs ..." she drifted off, and began to spin herself slowly around on the chair.

"Yeah, but those jobs are either frustrating or boring," he remarked.

"Hey!" she said, pointing to him as she continued to spin, and pointed down to her chair, "I'm getting _paid_ to do this."

He chuckled, "So, do you really want to learn how to scare?"

"_Yess_!" she said excitedly, "You make it look cool."

He laughed, "All right, I'll show you later on tonight."

"Why tonight?" she asked casually, still spinning herself on the chair. Some of her trainees began to pour into the room and she stopped, pretending to be hard at work filling out her papers.

"You'll see," he said.

One of the trainees recognized him, and exclaimed in a high-pitched nerdy voice, "Oh my Monstropolis! You're Randall Boggs!"

Sandra giggled evilly in amusement as she doodled aimlessly on the paper in front of her.

* * *

**(A/N)- **Have mercy - I know it's stupid. xP I'm too used to writing completely original stuff - forgive me. :(


	5. Accidents Happen

**(A/N)-** To my reviewers - thank you so much! :) Can't say that enough. And I thought I should mention that I've drawn Sandra (can't link here :P) so just look me up on deviantart - I go under the name SeltzerAddict there. A huge picture of her is my featured deviation (always :D) Aaand ... there are several others (not much) drawings of her in my gallery - just look under the Pixar folder to make your life easier. ;)

Okay, onto the story!

* * *

**Chapter 5 - Accidents Happen**

* * *

"Isn't this illegal?" Sandra asked as he led the way onto the dark and empty Scarefloor.

"Nah, it doesn't say anywhere in the rules that you can't do this," he assured.

"Nor does it say that you can- _Randall_!" she hissed, "Ever think it's not said because maybe it's a little thing called, oh I don't know, _common sense_?!"

"Quit overreacting," he said as he punched a few numbers into the keyboard beside the door holder. A loud clank and whirr of machinery was heard in the distance, setting off Sandra's nerves as she looked over to see if anyone heard them. Eventually the door came around and locked into the station.

"Please don't tell me you cheat this way," she almost whined , looking around.

"Nah, it's only cheating if the screen's on, and I don't know how to turn it on," he admitted, grinning.

She looked over at him as the red light came up on the door, and she cut a look at him, pointing, "What makes you think I'm going in there?"

"You wanna learn how to scare, right?" he asked, placing a canister in the holder.

"Yeah, of course I do," she said, and hissed quickly, "But there are better ways of learning how to without being in danger of becoming contaminated by a human _child_!"

"I'll be in there with you," he said, "You have nothing to be afraid of."

She snorted with laughter. folding her arms, "Yeah, sure, now I'm relaxed."

"Hey," he protested, "I promise, you won't be contaminated by a human child."

"I'd better not be," she said, and waited there. He motioned for her to go in.

"No way, I'm not going in first!" she protested.

"Ladies first," he reminded.

"Yeah, which is why you should be going first," she teased, but went ahead anyway with a sigh, "if anything bad happens, I'm suing you."

"You wouldn't sue me," he said.

"Wanna bet?"

--

The room was dark - it seemed much later at night there than it was in Monstropolis, perhaps after midnight already. A young boy lay fast asleep under the covers in the bed in the corner. Randall slowly closed the door behind him and Sandra ... well, she just stood there, looking shocked.

"Well?" Randall asked.

"Well _what_, you're the expert!" she hissed back.

"Sneak up on him!" Randall insisted in a whisper, turning invisible.

"Are you crazy??" she hissed, suddenly fully aware of the situation, "I'll be contaminated!"

"No you won't!"

Their whispering must've gotten loud enough to wake the child, for he sat up in his bed, and, at the sight of Sandra, let out an ear shattering scream, causing Sandra to run and get the hell out of the room, accidentally slamming the door on Randall's fingers. He turned visible on the impact and let out a short cry of pain. Sandra quickly pulled him back onto the Scarefloor by the injured hand, and slammed the door shut, quickly fumbling to shut the door down. She gave up and just pressed all the buttons on the control pad and eventually, the red light went off.

"See?" he asked, "You can scare." he said, pleased that he was right.

"I just looked at him!" she exclaimed, still breathing hard.

"So? All you'll need to do to scare them is to make a noise to wake 'em up, and make sure they see you," he said, "You'll have your work cut out for you."

"I don't think you've noticed, but I'm a panicky person," she said, leaning against the door, catching her breath.

"No, I haven't noticed," he replied sarcastically with a grin.

She sneered at him, but her expression changed as she looked to his hand as he held it up, assessing the damage. It looked a little red, and she feared it may bruise, "Here, let me see your hand ..." she said, reaching over.

"Nah, it's fine," he said, holding it away, "I've had worse ..."

"Just let me see it," she insisted, and took his hand, running her thumb along his fingers, careful not to scratch him with her claws. He winced as she massaged it, "It doesn't feel broken," she said, "but we should still get ice for it - I don't want it to bruise."

"Sandra, it's all right," he assured.

"No it's _not_," she insisted, "I don't want a constant reminder of tonight hanging around," she said, taking him by his good hand and leading him along, "it's too embarrassing, and I'm such a ditz ... I'm sorry I ran like that."

"I'm sorry I brought you into that," he said, "I should've trained you first, somehow. That wasn't right to just bring you into harm's way like that."

"_Pfft_!" she snorted, "Look who's talking about 'harm's way'! I just slammed your fingers in the door ..."

"I'll live," he assured, as she came upon the break room, releasing him as she ran over to the fridge, searching, with no luck, "What, you Scarers don't believe in ice?" she asked incredulously, frustrated. Randall couldn't help but chuckle at that.

Eventually she came out with a can of Monsterade, "Better than nothing," she said, and held it to his hand. He sucked in air through his teeth, and she retorted, "Yeah you'll live, but it still hurts doesn't it?"

"It does not," he insisted.

"What's with the wincing then?" she asked, pressing the can to his fingers, making him wince again.

"Are you trying to make it worse?" he asked irritably.

She took it off his hand, "Sorry ..." she replied in a small voice, and stroked his fingers with one hand, "does it feel any better?" she asked quietly.

Their eyes locked when she looked up at him, and he blinked, "Yeah ..." he managed to choke out.

They stared at each other a moment, and when it got too uncomfortable, Sandra broke the gaze, smiling. She bit her lip, and looked down, placing the can in his hand, "Well, just keep it cold for a while. In the end you get a free soda that used to belong to ..." she checked the name tag on it, "James P. Sullivan," she read. She didn't notice that the sound of that name made Randall tense up, "Sorry about that, James," she said with a laugh, and looked up to Randall, her smile fading as she noticed his angry features.

"You all right?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yeah ... I'm fine," he said, and smile reassuringly at her.

"Come on then," she said, taking him by his good hand as they walked out, "You're walking me home."

"Is that an order?" he asked, amused.

"Yup," she said, "I'm afraid of the dark," she added quietly, ashamed to admit that. Her grip on his hand tightened slightly.

He squeezed her hand gently back, and whispered "You have nothing to be afraid of, not as long as I'm around."

She laughed humorlessly as she blushed, "How reassuring," she said, sounding sarcastic. She leaned her head briefly against his and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured back.

* * *

**(A/N)-** I was told the above scene was too short, and I tried to lengthen it but couldn't do much without destroying it, so ... forgive me! :( I don't like to linger too much in fluff because it'll either get boring or it won't be believable. :P

I must also add that - Randall does teach her to scare properly ... in the chapter after the next. :P Be prepared for silliness and a bit of fluff! ;P


	6. So?

**(A/N)- **Okay, first thing's first - I am going to try and focus myself on this fanfiction more, since after seeing The Bacchae (with Alan Cumming, yum) my novel has decided to creep up on me. So I must ward it off for now. The fanfiction right now (though some is in pieces) is almost 35 pages long, so I figure if I can write that much alone with an existing work as a crutch, it shouldn't be too hard to write a completely original novel, right? Well, the skeleton of the book is set out - just have yet to write it. xP And it's a-knockin' on my door. xD Not to mention new photos of Lincoln Center have spurred me to finally update my website.

Anyway, this chapter's short but I hope you'll forgive me. The next bit is long and I'm working to sort of sew it together with the one after it, seeing as the next chapter was added in because I really needed a scene like it. x) Enjoy! (if you can ;) And thank you so much to those who've read and/or reviewed it thus far! x)

* * *

**Chapter 6 - So?**

* * *

"You never told me the reason why you were so angry yesterday, you know ..." Sandra reminded as she took his injured hand in hers, stroking it comfortingly with her thumb as they headed off to work early that morning.

Randall merely grunted in response.

"Not a good way to start the day off, huh?"

"Nope," he said, "At least not before I've had my coffee."

She sighed, "C'mon, Randall!" she exclaimed, nudging him gently with her shoulder, "You said you'd tell me. And you know, it is better that you don't keep it all bottled inside - you still seem angry so if you just tell me it'll make things better."

"Doubt it," he said flatly as they stopped to cross the street.

"I won't go to dinner with you until you tell me," she said with a wry grin.

He looked over at her in disbelief, and his emerald eyes fell to her hand holding his, "I thought you didn't want to be seen in public holding hands."

"Don't change the subject," she said insistently, shaking and squeezing his hand to cause him to wince slightly. He glared over at her, and she glared right back at him. The sign on the crosswalk switched from 'Don't Stalk' to 'Stalk', but they still remained there.

"I'm not going until you tell me," she said, releasing his hand and folding her arms, "It's better if we discuss it here than at work." she said.

He sighed, and headed over to lean on the building beside him, "You really wanna know?" he asked.

She nodded, running her claws through her fronds.

He sighed, "It's nothing big it's just ... well, this new guy, Sullivan ... he just arrived the other day, and he's already gained a thousand points, in just one day! Most I ever make is five hundred, if I'm lucky!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms up, "He'll take my title as top Scarer!"

"So?" she asked, shrugging.

"_So??_" he asked incredulously, "That title means everything to me!"

"That's just your pride talking," she pointed out, "It doesn't make you less of a monster."

"Sandra, he's new, and eventually he'll beat my high score if every day goes like today went," he said, "How bad does that make me look?"

"Look, Randall ..." she pleaded, but he looked away.

"No, you don't understand this - scaring is my life. And if I lose at being top Scarer, I'll lose everyone's respect."

"You won't lose _my_ respect," she retorted.

"You're one person," he said, folding his arms.

"But don't I matter?" she asked, feeling a little hurt as she pointed at herself, "What does it matter, what everyone else thinks?" she asked, motioning around her, "Do you even _care_ about everyone else?"

Randall was silent, and drooped his shoulders with a sigh, "I'm sorry, Sandra ... I just can't stand losing this."

"You'll get over it," she muttered, hugging her midsection and looking away.

"I won't get over losing you," he muttered, and she looked over, puzzled.

"What?" she asked, annoyed, "You are not gonna lose me, so don't even try." she said, trying hard not to smile.

"Well, if I'm not top Scarer anymore, I dunno ..." his voice mumbled, "You probably won't like me much anymore."

She snorted in disbelief, "Wow, you really think I'm that shallow? I didn't even know you were top Scarer when I met you, so what makes you think I give a crap about that title?" she exclaimed, "Sorry, I mean ... I know it means a lot to you, but you're still the same Randall, with or without that title."

He laughed humorlessly, "Yeah, with next to no dignity left."

"Hey!" she scolded, wrapping an arm around him, surprised at her own sudden intimacy as they crossed the street, "Don't talk like that."

"Yes ma'am," he replied, sarcastically.

She punched him playfully in the stomach, but wound up resting her head on his shoulder, "Things'll turn out all right in the end."

He snorted in disbelief, but nestled his head closer against hers as they headed off to work.

--

Randall had been busy on both her breaks, for whatever reason, so that opted out time for him to teach her to scare. She wasn't about to let him get away that easily, so she brought up the subject as he went to hand in his paperwork. Of course, Roz had to butt in once she heard.

"You wanna scare?" she asked, a tone of surprise in her voice, "Finally. It's about time," she drawled, and pointed to Randall, "Mister top Scarer here will teach you the ropes."

"How exactly does one teach another to scare?" Sandra asked.

Roz laughed in her usually "Haa... haa... haa!" and retorted, "Aren't you the Scare instructor?"

Sandra blushed, realizing the trap she fell in, "Well, yeah, but ..." she stammered, and growled, "Well it's easy to explain how to scare but doing it's a whole different matter!"

"I'll be teaching the teacher then," Randall said with a know-it-all grin despite the tired look in his eyes. She pouted angrily and stuck her tongue out at him with a defiant, "I know how to scare," she said, and plopped her own paperwork down onto Roz's desk, "It's just going about it that's the problem."

* * *

**(A/N)**- Be nice! I understand it's short -- I'd actually intended at first to be a big meanie and post it in really short blurbs like some people have been doing to the wonderful fanfictions I read. Be glad I decided not to do so (I think it would've been way too cruel) Please review if you can! :)


	7. Teaching the Teacher

**(A/N)-** Sorry I haven't been updating as much as I should. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed thus far :) I hope this isn't too fluffy ...

* * *

**Chapter 7 - Teaching the Teacher**

* * *

They were of the last monsters to leave the company, and a golden light lit up the domed room as the sun had begun to set. They were heading out late as it was - soon the place would be closed. "We're not scaring here tonight," Randall said seriously in a low voice as they headed out across the lobby.

"Why not?" she asked, amused "Afraid I'll get you in trouble?" she teased.

"Nah, just sick of being here so often," he said, running his hand through his fronds and casually taking her hand in his. When she didn't let go or protest, he held her a little more comfortably, flexing his hand at the feeling of her hand in his.She either pretended not to notice it or just didn't notice it, because she just kept talking, "No one's forcing you to be here."

He laughed humorlessly, "Waternoose is." There it was. He slipped.

"Waternoose?" she asked, concerned, "Why?"

"Just ... well ..." he searched for something to say and picked the one he'd used most often with Roz, "you know, being his top Scarer and all ... we're like buddies," he tried to hide his disgust as he said that word, "he likes me to do favors for him like paperwork and stuff."

She nodded, but she still didn't understand ... why him, of all the monsters? If being top Scarer meant extra work and staying at work late, why was it such an honorable position?

"I don't trust him though," Randall said suddenly, "Seriously. Something about that monster rubs me the wrong way."

"Then why do you help him?"

He shrugged as they pushed through the double doors, his grip on her hand tightening slightly, "He's an old friend of the family. I guess I sorta owe it to my parents, I don't know ..."

She nodded, "Soo ..." she swung his hand lightly back and forth between them as they headed across the near empty parking lot, "When and where can you teach me to scare?" she asked, and smiled, "That rhymes."

He smiled lightly, "Well ... I'd like to teach you tonight, since it's not too late."

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head, "Not tonight - you look tired," she noted, a hint of sympathy in her tone.

"Well, I'm not," he said gruffly, and added quickly, "if anything I need less sleep."

She highly doubted this, so she just rolled her eyes and said "Oh-kaay ... well, if you wanna scare tonight, where can you teach me?"

He thought about a moment before suggesting, "Your place?"

She laughed, "You're joking, right?"

"Or mine, whichever you want," he said with a shrug, carelessly.

"Hmm ..." she thought about it a moment. She trusted him, to an extent but ... well, if there was any reason not to trust him, she had her claws to defend herself, and he had none. So she settled, "Though I'd like to see your place, my place is closer ..." she said, and looked seriously to him, "But not for long. Whether you agree with me or not, you need sleep."

"All right," he agreed reluctantly.

They walked along in silence for a moment, and asked in fake shock, "Oh no. What if Waternoose sees us together?"

He chuckled, "I know I'm usually worried about that, but he lives on the other side of town," he said, "And, he doesn't go for evening strolls, as you can tell from his gut."

She giggled, nudging into him playfully, shaking her head, "I don't know why you hate him so much - he seems like a nice guy."

"What he _seems_ like and what he _is_ are two different things," Randall said, his fronds flattening against his skull.

She sighed, not in the mood to get into another argument, "You get me so frustrated when you don't tell me your silly secrets," she said, shaking her head, looking away. After a while she asked, "Someday, will you tell me?"

"Yeah," he said, holding her hand closer to him, "someday, I promise."

--

"Don't laugh," she said to him before opening her apartment door. The walls were a warm goldenrod just like her underbelly, and the floors were part hardwood and part dark blue carpeting. The furniture was all tacky - like a mixture of different eras. She had a large red fuzzy sofa, with a blue blow-up chair beside it. Her television was by the window, and appeared to be a black-and-white one, bunny ear antennas and all. She had a retro artsy looking bookshelf that appeared to be made out of clear yellow plastic.

Right next to the living room, just by the door, the kitchen was crammed into it, a small room with walking space for just one person to be in there at a time. Opposite the kitchen was a small dining room area - just a simple table pressed against the wall with two seats, one with a stack of books on it.

Beside the dining room was another room through a narrow hallway, which could only be her bedroom. A much smaller room beside it, though closed, had to be the bathroom.

Aside from the closeness of the space, it all seemed ... well, homey. It was relatively clean and organized too, despite the craziness. It all just seemed to fit.

"Your apartment's as crazy as you are," Randall muttered, and she folded her arms, looking offended at him.

"In a good way," he said with a smile.

"Thanks, but I'm not staying here for long," she said with a sigh as she placed her purse atop the stack of books on the chair, "Can't stand the other tenants."

"Are you moving far?"

"Nope," she said, "Still wanna be in walking distance from work, just not in this building," she said as she headed over into the living room, sitting herself on the slightly-worn fuzzy couch, "So how can you teach me to scare?" she asked as he walked over.

"Well," he said, clasping both pairs of arms together and stretching them a moment before shaking them out, causing Sandra to giggle slightly at him in amusement.

"First thing's first ..." he said, taking her by the hand and pulling her to her feet.

"Stealth." he said, and pointed to her feet, "Those claws won't help you get into a child's bedroom unheard" Sandra opened her mouth to protest but he held a finger up, "_unless_ ..." he said, "you hold your talons up properly as you walk."

"How d'you expect me to do that?" she asked dully.

"Let me finish," he said, "There are Scarers with talons, and though I have none, I've observed their technique," he said, and placed weight on the flats of his feet, holding his three toes on each foot into the air, "You'll have to practice daily to keep balance while walking though."

She tried to do the same thing he did, and wound up nearly losing her balance, but Randall caught her in his arms, "See?" he asked, eyes looking at her slyly as they stood cheek to cheek, "Not so easy."

She frowned and stood upright, trying to hide her embarrassment by asking casually, "Okay, what next?"

"Next," he said, pulling his hands up beside each side of his face, "Snarl," he said, and growled ferociously at her, baring his teeth. Sandra backed away slightly, smiling in awe and remarked, "You look scarier when you don't try to be."

He laughed, "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically, and pointed to her, "Now you try."

"_Grrr_!" she snarled at him, baring her teeth slightly, and broke into laughter.

"You laugh like that in front of a kid and you'll never scare 'em," he chuckled.

"If I laugh _evilly_," she said, holding a finger up, "that could be a technique."

"Sure it can," he said, folding both pairs of arms with a grin, "though it wouldn't scare a kid enough to make him scream. Ya gotta learn to get close, but not too close. You know, make like you're coming to get them but don't."

"Right," she nodded.

"So you'll need to work on your stealth," he let out an almighty yawn as he said, "an' your shnarl." he closed his mouth and blinked, "Definitely your snarl," he said with a sleepy grin.

"All right, top Scarer," she said, taking him by the arm, leading him to the door, "it's about time we got you home to sleep."

"It's still early!" he protested.

"You _need_ the sleep," she said seriously as she pulled him out into the hallway, locking her apartment up, "I don't need to deal with your attitude tomorrow."

"Coffee'll fix that," he replied with a coy grin.

She shook her head with a sigh, "it doesn't always, you know."

--

--

She walked him up to the door to his building, and after their conversation about scaring had dropped, they stood in awkward silence on the stoop. Randall rubbed the back of his neck nervously, trying to find his voice, "So ... I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he said, smiling hesitantly at her.

She nodded, "Mm," she said, smiling awkwardly, "yeah I guess so," she said, and laughed shortly afterwards at how silly they sounded.

Randall chuckled briefly before letting his hand fall to his side, "Well, goodnight then ..." he said as he reached to open the front door, but Sandra grabbed his arm to stop him. Before he could ask her why, she leaned up and gave him a short peck on the cheek, and that caused both of them to turn red in the face.

"Uhmm," she said afterwards, wringing her hands as she nearly stumbled backwards down the steps as she backed away, "Thank you for teaching me to scare," she said with a short nervous laugh.

"No problem," Randall said, his voice just above a whisper and he couldn't figure out why.

Sandra nodded, and looked to her feet before walking away.

"Sandra?" Randall called, and she looked over almost fearfully.

"Erm ..." he rubbed his neck nervously, "uh ... _heh_ ... you sure you'll be all right walking home by yourself?"

She smirked at his concern, "Sure," she said, "get some sleep, Boggs," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him through her teeth goofily before heading back to her apartment.

* * *

**(A/N)-** Please review :) I'm still editing to make sure the chapters flow, since this one was just added in because I realized I seriously needed a scene like this. x) Don't ask why. I just did.


	8. Potential

**(A/N)**- I'm getting rather bitter because I've gotten 70-something hits for each chapter, but only one reviewer. So excuse me if these don't come up fast enough. I'm still working on the later chapters as it is. This one's one of the corny ones, but trust me, it all gets better as it goes on. ;) Once again, a big thank you to those who have reviewed. :)

If you like it, review please, say anything preferably nice ... I'm not asking for a whole analysis or anything. :)

* * *

**Chapter 8- Potential**

* * *

Mixed feelings continued to swim through Sandra's head. She liked Randall, she really did - as a _friend_. And that kiss upon the cheek could be dismissed as simply a friendly kiss, if only she hadn't felt something more. Sure, he hadn't kissed back, but she felt that familiar giddy feeling in her stomach. She didn't like that feeling at all. Or did she?

No, now wasn't the time to start another relationship - she didn't want it to end in tears like the one before that. Randall couldn't be all that bad ... but still, she wasn't up to taking chances. She just wished she'd stop 'sort of' flirting with him - sure he was a flirt at times, but she shouldn't flirt back! She'd gone and given him the wrong impression, and in her efforts to save her own heart from being broken, she was close to breaking his!

She sighed angrily and ran her claws through her fronds viciously, almost drawing blood. In her frustration from deciding whether or not she should meet Randall on her break, she chose not to and went in the only place he'd never go - the ladies locker room, and decided to take a nap, invisible, on top of the lockers. Really, all she did was rest her eyes because the monsters coming in and out made too much of a racket. Still, resting her eyes was enough for her. If she'd really napped, she'd probably miss her next class, and that wouldn't be good.

Upon teaching the trainees though, she found herself strangely irritated by their own stupidity. Of course, she always was irritated by them, to a certain extent. This was far past her usual irritation though - she was fed up with them. She couldn't understand how it was so hard for them to scare! They all had either pointy teeth or claws - how could they not be scary to a dull-toothed claw-less child?!

Irritation aside - Sandra really just wanted to make a loud noise, and to randomly scream in the middle of Monsters Incorporated ... well, it'd make her look insane. She just couldn't bear the confusion she felt building up inside.

Her Scare demonstration earned her loud applause by the trainees, but she was not flattered. She scared them out of the training room, probably the aftershock of doing such a crazy thing as she did. One person she didn't scare out, however, was Waternoose.

She froze at the sight of the CEO, but she wasn't frightened enough to call her class back in and apologize, for the crab monster was _clapping_. She was dumbfounded - she was sure he'd be furious and tell her she was fired.

"Excellent demonstration!" he applauded, smiling broadly, "Which Scarefloor are you from?"

"None," she replied shortly, walking stiffly over to her desk, "I'm an instructor - I just got angry," she explained, and added afterwards "Sorry about that."

"Sorry?" he asked, his five eyes wide in disbelief, "You have Scarer potential!"

She snorted in disbelief, "Ya right," she mumbled, taking a sip of her coffee.

He approached her and touched her shoulder with a smile, "Stop by my office tomorrow, and we'll get you started immediately," and with that, he left.

"But, s-sir, I don't--" she stammered, but he already left through the double-doors. She groaned angrily, flopping back in her chair. She leaned her head back, spinning herself once in the chair, "Well Randall - ya got what you wanted." she said with a sigh.

--

She didn't want to see Randall again so soon, but at least she had something to talk about that probably wouldn't lead to an awkward conversation about that kiss on the cheek. She met Randall later, and went to the local cafe in town to avoid seeing any other co-workers, and told him the news.

"Are you serious?" he asked incredulously, shocked, "Why'd he say that?"

She shrugged, mumbling into her coffee, "I did a scare demo ..."

"Really?" he asked, eyes wide, "What spurred you to do that?"

"You," she said, "I think ..." and shrugged again, "I dunno- I was randomly angry for some odd reason, and just got fed up with the trainees. I mean, c'mon already! It's not that hard to scare a child! They get easily frightened by any loud noise, for cryin' out loud ..."

He couldn't help but chuckle at that, "You're funny when you're upset."

"Well, you _make_ me upset so I'm glad you're amused," she said dully, inwardly reminding herself not to give in to his attempts at flirting. She folded her arms on the table, resting her head down in them, burying her face, "I just don't know what to do anymore." she said, voice muffled.

"Well, I'm not forcing you to take the job," he said, propping his head up with his hands, looking down at the top of her head as he spoke, "You just have potential."

"Would monsters just _please_ stop saying that??" she growled into her arms, and lifted up her head to look him in the eyes with a sneer, "I'll think about it. I just don't want you or Roz rubbing it in my face that you knew I would take the job or some crap like that."

"Oh, I'd never rub it in your face," he teased with a smile.

She shot him a look of disbelief before lying her face down sideways on her folded arms. "I have to visit his office tomorrow morning if I want the job," she explained shortly, and looked back up at him, "You'll come with me, won't you?"

"Uhh, well ..." he said nervously.

"What?" she asked, annoyed.

"I ... well, I don't want him to know that I know you."

She rolled her eyes, "Come on already - I thought I was the one who didn't want to be seen with you. It's not as if we're seeing each other - we're not romantically involved, just friends," she reminded both him and herself, taking a sip from her coffee.

"We are?" he asked with a teasing grin.

She nodded insistently, and then laughed casually, "Well, maybe you're romantically involved but I'm not."

He laughed lightly, "Do you always think so highly of yourself?" he asked.

"I don't, really," she said, "I'm just being sarcastic ..." she drifted off, and set her coffee down, pointing at him accusingly, "Don't change the subject! You're coming with me to see him tomorrow."

"Sandra, really, I _can't_," he said firmly.

"Why not?" she asked, almost whining.

Randall sighed, "I wish I could explain, but I can't," he said, "I just don't want him to know that I know you, all right?" he asked, "I don't trust the guy. I have my reasons."

"So secretive and stubborn," she said with a sigh folding her arms and sitting back in her seat. She watched him scrutinizingly for a moment before saying "I don't know if I can trust you."

"You can," he said quietly, "I'll tell you my reasons ... one of these days," he said with a reassuring smile.

She smiled lightly back, but it faded as she took another sip of her coffee. How could she have feelings for someone she didn't trust? She had to have trusted him then, to some degree ... she just didn't realize it.

She set her coffee down and looked to the clock, "We really should be heading back ..." she said, as if she'd told herself that, and gathered up her purse and clipboard.

* * *

**(A/N)**- Review please! It gets so much better! (and this is coming from a modest person xD)


	9. First Day

**(A/N)**- I'm posting this next chapter quickly because I don't see a point in people waiting for a chapter that's not very good ... ignore the crappiness that is the beginning of this chapter, please. I hope you enjoy the end bit. :)

Thank you so much, SylverStrike/llacerta, for reviewing! :)

* * *

**Chapter 9 - First Day**

* * *

Sandra watched curiously from the waiting room at the CEO as he chatted with another employee. She wondered exactly what made Randall not trust him - Waternoose seemed like a nice old man - what was so bad about him? Still, she'd be on her guard, simply because Randall didn't trust him. She just wish she knew his reason.

"Ah, welcome!" he greeted as his crab claws knocked muffled along the carpet as he approached her. She stood awkwardly and shook his hand briefly.

"I never did catch your name," he said.

"Sandra Clemens," she said in a small voice.

"Well, welcome aboard, Miss Clemens," he said with a cheery smile, his five eyes blinking at her, "Please, come inside and take a seat," he said as he headed over to his desk.

She sat down in the leather seat opposite him, looking around briefly at all the awards and honors this guy had - for what, she didn't know, but he couldn't be very much of an untrustworthy person if he'd won all these ... could he?

"So, you're interested in becoming a Scarer?" he asked.

"Yeah I guess," she said quietly but he'd already continued.

"Excellent! What with the Scream shortage lately, we'll need all the Scarers we can find," he said, "I've already gotten the perfect Scare assistant for you .." he wheeled slightly to the left and tapped the pager button on his phone, "Marge, send in Cloey."

"Right sir," a voice answered.

In the next couple of seconds, an obnoxious-looking bubblegum pink monster came in. She looked like Fungus, a bit, except she had two eyes and her legs didn't bend backwards like a bird. Her eyes were big and blue and she looked to Sandra upon coming in, and beamed.

"Cloey, this will be your new Scarer, Sandra Clemens," he introduced.

"Hi, how ya doin'?" she asked, offering a hand to shake. Sandra wondered how this monster could be old enough to even work here- she seemed like a little girl, but it was probably just on account of her goofy girly voice and the fact that she was short.

Sandra stood and shook her hand awkwardly, forcing a smile.

--

"What's that you're drinking?" Sandra asked as she walked beside her new Scare assistant, eyeing the strange can of liquid in the monster's hand.

"Oh, this?" she asked excitedly, "Keeps me fueled!" she exclaimed, taking a sip. Sandra caught a glimpse at the logo that read 'Scream Soda'. It was a popular energy drink around Monstropolis, but very high in sugar.

"I can't go a day without one!" Cloey said, her voice high-pitched and obnoxious, "Makes me run like the wind, _Bullseye_!!" she yelled, making Sandra jump and causing several employees to turn and look at her.

"Is this our Scare floor?" Sandra asked casually, pointing down a nearby hallway.

"Yeppers," the girl replied.

Sandra's steps quickened as she went inside, hoping to lose Cloey but Cloey was determined not to lose her as she bounded after her Scarer.

--

"How'd your first day go?" Randall asked as Sandra approached him in a fast walk, hugging her midsection as she stared wide-eyed at the ground in front of her.

"S_aa_ndra!" her assistant called after her, and Sandra's eyes widened as she picked up speed. She grabbing Randall roughly by the arm and tugging him down one of the hallways. She stopped as soon as she was out of sight, and threw Randall a bit too roughly at the wall beside her, and blended. He did the same, and peered at the bubblegum pink assistant as she looked down the hall a moment before running out the side doors.

"Was that ..."

"My new Scare assistant?" she asked, "_Yes_."

Randall chuckled, watching as the annoying monster went to search the back parking lot. He resumed his normal form, and she did too.

"It's not funny!" she hissed, failing to see the humor in this, "The girl gets hyped up on energy drinks and runs around like you wouldn't believe ... stop laughing!"

"It's just funny," he said through his laughter, "How she said _Saandra_!"

"Shut up!" she growled through her teeth, trying not to smile as she pushed him lightly in the chest.

"_Saandra_!" he echoed again, and she tugged him lightly on one of his fronds, causing him to jump away playfully.

"Won't be long till she knows who you are," she pointed out, leaning against the wall, looking out to the monster as she ran around the parking lot, right in front of a car that was pulling out. The car stopped short and the man inside beeped the horn, yelling at her.

"Then we'll be hearing _Raandaall_!" she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"All right, enough," he said, taking her by the arms.

She heard the front doors open and looked to see Cloey walking in. She jumped, grabbing Randall and running into the room closest to him - a random meeting room (there were a lot of them on this floor.) The lights were all turned off and it was empty and dark - still she threw him against the wall, not realizing she was in his arms, leaning against him. They both blended in with the blue wallpaper.

"When you throw me like that it does hurt you know," he informed, but she just shushed him, holding a hand over his mouth briefly.

Cloey came into the room and looked around a moment before yelling, "_Saaandra_!" her voice echoed in the empty room, and Sandra buried her face against Randall's chest to try and block out the sound, shaking as she tried to hold back her nervous laughter. Randall tried hard not to laugh.

Cloey, seeing that no one was in there, left and went to search the other rooms nearby. Sandra soon withdrew from Randall, unblending and looking out the door with a sigh, "I can't stand that girl," she growled.

"Well, how was today, otherwise?" he asked.

She shrugged, leaning against the wall beside him, "Okay, I guess."

"You guess?"

"Well, it would've been fine if people didn't look at me strangely, with or without that girl bouncing around my heels."

"They're just jealous 'cause you have your work cut out for you," he said, folding both his pairs of arms, looking confidently over at her. She rolled her eyes and continued.

"Well anyways ... on the plus side we did fill about a thousand scream canisters ..."

"Seriously?" he nearly shouted in his surprise, taking Sandra aback.

"Well, yeah," she blinked, "That girl is fast as lightning - the only thing holding us back was the doors' actual speed to get onto the Scarefloor, but other than that ..."

"Still, one _thousand_?" he asked incredulously, "That's amazing!"

Sandra motioned towards the direction Cloey had run in, "You take her then, she's all yours."

"No thanks," he said with a grin, "Seems she's already attached to you."

Sandra snorted angrily, shaking her head, "Well, she may be annoying but she is helpful. Not that I care about scaring all that much ..."

Randall laughed, "Yeah, watch - soon you'll be just like me, competing for the top position."

"I am top," she said in a small voice, feeling bad for saying it when his title was in danger of being taken from him. "I didn't, I mean ... well, I took over from someone who retired, and I took their numbers and ... well, when I came in, it was just fifty thousand something - two places under the top and ... well, I'm top," she said, disgusted at herself for repeating it, not wanting to see the look on his face, "but it's not a big deal - I'm only dealing with mainly three or four year olds." she said, "That Scarefloor must hate me now, but I don't care what position I'm at as long as it allows me to keep my job, so ..."

"I don't hate you," he said, smiling lightly, "You deserve to be top."

She rolled her eyes, "Look, I'm sorry that came out as rubbing it in your face - maybe I should just keep secrets like you do."

"You're not rubbing it in my face, Sandra," he said seriously, "I'm just glad you don't have to go through what I'm going through right now."

She sighed, "_See_, this competitive streak ..." she held her hands up, but wound up clenching her hands into fists before letting them fall to her sides, "You can't let it rule you," she said, looking him in the eye.

He nodded, and laughed humorlessly, "I can't help but let it," he said, looking away with a tired sigh.

Sandra stepped up to him, taking his hand in both her hands, "You have to fight it," she said, and smiled, sticking her tongue out from between her teeth and crossing her eyes.

He chuckled lightly, and lifted a hand to touch her cheek, and her smile faded. She froze at the touch, unsure of how to react to it- whether she should let him or smack him away.

"I don't know what I'd do without you ..." he said truthfully, barely audibly, slowly taking his hand away.

Her heart plummeted. She forced an awkward grin, and she looked down at his hand in hers. She spied a small scar between his two fingers, and wanted to question him about it but figured it was nothing, "Well," she found herself beginning, "You'd probably have serious anger problems," she began, and looked around at the ceiling as if in deep thought, "but you wouldn't have to worry about someone trying to figure out your secrets," she said, smiling, "that's a positive ... and," she said, holding a finger up, "Oh! You'd be able to drink more coffee per day, if I weren't around to drink it all."

He smiled, "Not many positives, see ..." he pointed out quietly.

"Oh, I'm just getting started," she said, grinning mischievously, her snout touching his nose briefly, and she blushed at the close contact, turning to look away.

She wanted to get the hell out of there as she realized the sort of 'vow' she made to herself, to not get too close to him. She went to move away but he reached up and touched her cheek again, causing her to look at him.

They stared at each other in silence for what felt like forever. She stared at him, brows furrowed in a confused-worry look, her ruby eyes searching in the depths of his emerald eyes. She could get lost forever in that gaze ...

She hadn't realized it fully, but she'd really let her guard down and was extremely close to Randall, so close that they nearly kissed! Luckily, she was saved by the bell on the Scarefloor nearby. She snapped out of her dream-state, and instantly took a step back away from him.

"Should get back to work," Sandra said, clearing her throat with a smile as she stepped further away from him. Randall nodded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "Yeah ..._ right _... I'll walk you there," he said, and held the door open for her as they left.

* * *

**(A/N)**- Aww. :) Gets better, trust me. ;) Reviews please! The nice kind. ;)


	10. Out

**(A/N)-** I figured that I would get this out because it's one of those chapters that's not really worth waiting for. Just grin and bear it - it gets better!  
Thanks for reviewing, llacerta and QueenofNobodies! :)  
I've got to be more caring about this fanfic - to those who have noticed that I'm writing a Casper fanfiction ... I just do that to get the muses working, and it helps to exercise for this one. Don't worry - this fanfiction WILL be completed. I know that much is certain. :)

* * *

**Chapter 10 - Out**

* * *

Sandra avoided Randall for a week after that 'close encounter' - well, except for their walks together in the morning. It was hard to avoid him then, but she spoke rarely and no longer held his hand. He didn't question her about it - she figured he was probably as unsure and awkward about all this as she was. Either that or he didn't care - but despite her desire to be as far away from him as possible lately, she hoped it wasn't the latter.

She hoped she wasn't overreacting or acting irrational about something so ... well, they didn't kiss, at least! And sure, she had boyfriends before ... one, to be exact, and she never trusted her feelings after that. She regretted ever giving him that kiss on the cheek. Well ... it was nice, and very brief but ... now she'd put the wrong thoughts in his head. She felt something for Randall, but the sooner they'd start a relationship, she felt, the quicker it would end.

It didn't help that the monster irritated her to no end - she didn't have to tell him about being top Scarer - she should've added it to the list of secrets she'd been keeping from him. She never spoke about her family, neither did he, and she never spoke about her ex, neither did he- she was sure he'd had more than one ex. This lack of communication was driving her nuts.

She came across him on accident after her last shift as she was heading for the locker room without thinking to blend herself or even look out for him.

"Sandra, where've you been?" he asked, snapping her out of her thoughts as he approached.

She blinked at him, wondering why he cared now, all of the sudden. It must've been just because he never saw her during the work day.

She rubbed her forehead, "Oh, I ..." she searched for an excuse, "I've just been really busy lately ..."

"Same here," he said, and looked over his shoulder, "Well, I wanted to ask you out to dinner tonight but tonight I have to work late."

"Doing what?" she asked, and suddenly snapped, "Oh wait, no, don't tell me," she said with a sarcastic laugh, "that's a _secret_, isn't it?"

"Sandra ..."

"No, I get it, all right?" she asked, "You keep your secrets, and I'll keep mine. Obviously your secrets are far too important for anyone like me to know about-"

"It's not that and you know it!" he snapped back.

"It's not as if I'll tell anyone, you know," she continued, ignoring him, "it's not as if I have any friends- No-" she said as he opened his mouth to speak, "Roz isn't a friend - she's just an acquaintance - and Sheri's just a co-worker - I haven't spoken to her since I became a Scarer, which was your silly idea, not mine, don't try to deny it, and--"

He grabbed her arms firmly, making her shut up suddenly. In that instant, she'd just realized that she'd been shouting at him, and it probably was irrationally. Still, she couldn't help but stare at him with her eyes wide in fear - it didn't hurt her, him grabbing her like that - it just scared her. She didn't think he'd ever grab her so roughly like that.

"I won't tell you because knowing will only get you in trouble," he said quietly, his frown dissipating as he loosened his grip and let his hands fall to his sides.

"Why?" she asked, searching his eyes with a mixture of anger and concern, "What is it?"

He sighed, and murmured taking her hands in his, "Just trust me on this one, okay? You're safe if you don't know," he said.

"But I don't understand--"

"Just _trust me_," he said, pleading "Please ..."

She stared into his eyes a moment. As irrational as _he_ could be sometimes, she couldn't help but think he was behaving this way for a good reason. She sighed restlessly, not in the mood to keep arguing "Okay."

He smiled, letting his hands down but still kept one hand in hers, "We'll go out to dinner tomorrow, I promise," he said, "That's if you want to ..."

"Yeah," she said, nodding, a bit surprised at herself, "I do."

He nodded, and smiled even broader, "Now that I've found you again ..." he drifted off, and raised a non-existant brow, "you didn't happen to be avoiding me now, have you?"

"Me? Avoiding you?" she asked, sarcastically, "Oh, _never_," she said with a laugh.

--

Randall was heading out of the locker room to go meet Sandra when she suddenly came up and handed him a coffee, "See, it's _his_ coffee," she said to her assistant, who came running up and saw this, pouting, "Now you can't ask for a sip."

"But you took a sip of my Monsterade!"

"And I'm nowhere near as hyper as I get with coffee," she said, "Which isn't much, but coffee's stronger. I'm not letting you have it," she turned to Randall, "Did you know that she's not allowed to be given coffee?"

"You're Cloey?" Randall asked the Scare assistant, and Sandra burst into nervous laughter, "Yup, and, get this - she's also banned from the cafe we go to. But, crazy thing; she's never even _had_ coffee before! Worst mistake this company has made is to allow her to drink those silly energy drinks, but apparently that's what makes her move so fast."

Cloey looked offended, and Sandra apologized, "Which is a good thing, but still it can't be healthy for you."

The conversation dropped then and there, and Sandra slipped her hand into the crook of Randall's arm, "C'mon, let's go," she said quietly, pulling him along.

"Where are you going?" Cloey asked as she bounced along.

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Just _out_," Sandra said flatly.

"Can I come too?"

"No!" Randall and Sandra said in unison. Cloey looked hurt.

Sandra released Randall, running her claws nervously through her fronds, "It's not that we don't want you to, it's just ... well ..."

"It's a date, isn't it?" Cloey asked, a mischievous grin forming on her face.

"No, it's not, I just promised I'd go out with him--"

"Sandra's got a _daa_--" she clamped her hand over the assistant's mouth.

"How _old_ are you?" she asked, annoyed, "Look, I'll be your best friend and give you coffee tomorrow if you keep your mouth shut, 'kay?"

Cloey nodded with a smile and Sandra removed her hand.

"And we are not on a date," Sandra said firmly, sticking her tongue out at her.

Cloey rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, love birds!" she chirped, and skipped off in the other direction.

"I think you two are getting along just fine," Randall said with a smile.

"Actually, we are," she said truthfully with a laugh. She eyed her coffee he was holding and snatched it, "Mine."

"You never get enough of that stuff, do you?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Nope," she grinned.

* * *

**(****A/N)-** Sorry it was short, you wouldn't believe ... their chat on their date goes on forevah! xx I hope it's not boring, meh. It gets better afterwards ... and there was a cute scene I had in mind afterwards, but I cut it because it seemed to go a little too off-topic. :P I'll try to stick it in somewhere else, but if not, that's dead.  
Oh, reviews please! :) Reviews are like prodders- the more I get, the more likely I am to stick to this fanfic and hurry up and update! So, in other words, prod me! xD


	11. The Date

**(A/N)-** This chapter's not great, so grin and bear it, I've written better, but yet to share it. :)

... Sorry about that, rhyme-making in my novel right now. (since it's at a stand-still! Unlike this fanfic. :) ) Thanks to all who've reviewed so far (and to Remy and Sean of BB for beta-ing for me. :D)

* * *

**Chapter 11 - The Date**

* * *

"I'm sorry I've been keeping secrets from you," Randall said finally, after they ate their dinner in silence.

Sandra simply nodded, "It's all right," she said, "I understand ... I think," she looked confused a moment, but just shook her head, dropping the thought.

"Not everything has to be a secret, you know," she said after a moment of silence, "You don't have to tell me what you do at work, but little things like ... I dunno," she thought about it for a moment, "stuff about your life, your family, those sorts of things ... they don't need to be secret."

He laughed humorlessly, "But that stuff is boring!" he exclaimed.

"Not to me," she said, before taking a sip of wine.

"What about your life?" he asked, folding both pairs of his arms.

"Now _that's_ boring," she said laughing, setting her glass down.

"Well, you start then," he said earnestly.

Sandra blinked, looking about, "Well ... I don't know where to start ..." she said, raising a brow as she thought about it a while.

"I ... grew up here in Monstropolis, with my parents and my brother and ... well, we all had a good life, but as time went on, we grew apart," she said with a shrug, "We were never really a close family - seems we were just a family because our parents had us, but other than that ... well, mom and dad both worked for a law firm, and they were never home. Sammy, my little brother, he grew independent faster than I did, and soon left to live with one of his friends after one too many arguments with our parents as to where he was headed in life ...."

She sighed, "Me, I ... well, I got a job at Monsters, Inc," she said, shrugging, "I'd commuted there and back for a year or two, till I saved enough money to move out and get my own apartment."

"Do you still talk to your family?" he asked.

She nodded, "Occasionally," she said, "but only to Sammy and sometimes my grandmother. I don't think my parents ever forgave either of us for leaving without a final word. I'm not allowed to visit my grandma since she lives with my parents now. And Sammy and I are growing apart," she said, "He's been part of a silly garage band for a long time, but now he's going into the film business, _and_ he's engaged," she said, sticking her tongue out in disgust, "to a woman who has a son already from a previous marriage. He'll be starting his own family sooner or later, and I'll be forgotten."

"Don't talk like that, Sandra ..."

"No, seriously," she said, nodding, "it'll happen, and I can't blame him," she said with a shrug, "I can't regret the times we no longer have together - I can only cherish the time we did have. Sure we don't call each other much, but when we do, we just sorta ... forgive and forget," she said, putting her hands on her lap as if a nerve was touched, but she offered Randall a reassuring smile, "No hard feelings, you know? Life gets in the way."

Randall nodded in understanding, and another wave of silence swept over them. He finally broke it when he was ready to begin.

"I was an only child," he said, "My parents ... well, I guess they loved me. My mom did, anyway - my dad was always a bit ... well, moody ..." he cleared his throat, "Anyway, my dad was a top Scarer at Monsters, Inc. So was my grandpa. My dad wanted me to carry on 'the family legacy' and become top Scarer too." he said with a humorless chuckle, "Stupid thing is that he pushed me to become top Scarer my entire life, but once I got the title he'd ignored me altogether. I suppose his work was done ... he'd only paid attention to me when I wasn't good enough though ..."

"Sorry to hear that ..." Sandra murmured.

Randall nodded, "Well, my mom, she'd always cared, but she ... well, I suppose her relationship with my dad was a rocky one, but she stayed with him until I turned 18 and got a job at M.I. I guess once she realized I would start being able to fend for myself, she wanted to leave. Her fights with my dad became more frequent and," he shrugged, "well, one day she just left."

"She wrote to me though," Randall added quickly, "For a while. And then the letters stopped. I don't know what happened to her ... and I'm not so sure I want to."

He sighed deeply, "Anyway ... my dad died of a heart attack recently, go figure. I wasn't so upset about it; I pretty much saw it coming ..."

Sandra nodded, and yet another wave of silence swept through them.

"See?" Randall asked with a grin, "That was boring."

"No it was not," Sandra said seriously, "Sad, but not boring."

"Yours was sad too." he said, "See ... that's why I don't like to talk about the past," he said with a shrug, "I'm happy now in the _present_, and that's all that matters."

She nodded, "That's good ..."

"Are _you_ happy?" he asked, almost concernedly.

She shrugged, "Sometimes," and she grinned, "More than I used to be, now that I have you as a friend."

"Ahh," he said, waving his hand away, "Don't get all mushy."

"I'm serious though," she said with a smile, feeling accomplished that she'd made him blush. She'd ignored her inner voice reminding her not to give him the wrong impression - she'd regret it sooner or later.

"Well anyway," Randall said, changing the subject, "I'm worried about your assistant, Cloey. If she goes around chanting like a little school girl that we're dating ... well, I don't want Waternoose to find out."

"Find out what? We're just friends," she said flatly, tapping her claws on the table. She looked up to him, concernedly, "Aren't we?"

"Pssh!" he scoffed, "Well, whatever you say - but when you get all affectionate towards me, it looks as if it's something more."

"Fine, I won't be affectionate," she said, folding her arms.

"I don't mind it, but everyone else will," he said.

"You shouldn't care what everyone else thinks."

"I know ..." he said, "but Waternoose ..."

"He won't find out," she said, waving her hand dismissively, "we can turn invisible, remember?" she said with a playful wink, causing Randall to blush, and she laughed.

"For someone so confident half the time, you sure do worry much."

"For someone so afraid of a serious relationship, you sure do flirt a lot."

Her smile faded, and she looked to her hands clasped together in her lap, "What makes you think that I'm afraid?" she asked confusedly, sounding hurt. Obviously, he _did_ remember the kiss on the cheek and the close encounter.

"Nah, it's just," he rubbed his neck nervously, wishing he hadn't said that, "well ..."

"Don't talk about things you don't know," she said simply, clearing her throat, pretending to be distracted by the activity outside on the city streets, "if I seem distant or 'afraid' as you put it, it's for good reason." She took up her wine glass and had another sip.

"I'm sorry," Randall said quietly.

Sandra remained silent for a moment before nodding shortly, "It's all right - we both have our problems," she said, and eventually a shy smile crept across her face.

Randall returned the gesture.

The next moment, a rush of monsters started to pile into the restaurant, talking and laughing and filling the room with noise.

"You wanna get outta here?" Randall asked with a fake look of fear on his face.

"Definitely," she said with a grin, grabbing up her purse.

* * *

**(A/N)-** Review please! I'm still working on this and don't want it to die, but I'm fueled by reviews as well as my inspiration so ... please, leave a review. :)


	12. Randall's Apartment

**(A/N)- **Sorry this is short. Just grin and bear it, that's all you have to do. Grin. And. Bear it.

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Randall's Apartment**

* * *

She hadn't wanted to go over his place tonight; she was afraid she was leading him on. She wasn't sure exactly how she felt about him, if she loved him as a friend or loved him as ... well, something more. And she began to wonder if it really was something she ought to be running from. Randall seemed like a nice guy ... but wasn't it he who said what someone really is and what they seem like are two different things? Well ... she felt like she knew who he really was, despite the fact she didn't know his secrets ... she at least knew him better than anyone in Monsters Inc, perhaps in all of Monstropolis. And she'd only known him for a little over a month now ...

But the quicker they had a relationship, the quicker it would end. She'd always felt that way, or at least that was how it was like with her ex. Still, he wasn't her ex and perhaps this time around things would be different ... well, it was already obviously a different sort of relationship between them .... He didn't even pressure her to kiss him! It'd been _her_ that went for it ...

She pretended not to be bothered by such thoughts as she smiled at his courteousness as he allowed her to step into his apartment first. She looked around as he came in behind her and shut the door.

His apartment was surprisingly professional-looking, and expensive-looking despite the fact it was a bit smaller than her own. He had a black futon couch and chair in his living room with a silver base, and a large flat screen television on the wall across from it, just by the door.

By the window was the kitchen, done completely in black marble with dark oak cabinets. It wasn't another room, but was simply divided from the hallway with the countertop. Down the hallway, she assumed, was where his bedroom and bathroom might be.

Beside the kitchen was a small dining room, also with just two chairs like her own, one tucked in and the other out as if he'd just been sitting there.

It didn't seem homey to her, like her own was, but that might just be because this wasn't her home. What caught her eye though, was a fishbowl sitting in the corner of the dining room table, that was home to a small blue and red fighter fish.

She smiled, and leaned over the table to look at it, "Aww," she cooed, as it swam up against the glass, "what's it's name?"

"Steve," Randall said, standing beside her.

She snorted with laughter.

"You find that funny?" he asked, amused.

"Just not a name you'd ordinarily give a fish, that's all," she said, tapping a claw gently on the glass, causing the fish to hide behind the plastic seaweed in it's bowl, but he soon came 'round again, puffing his gills out.

"Can't have any other kind of pet in this building," Randall said, "though I get enough encounters with dogs and cats on the Scare floor- it's enough to make anyone not want one."

"Seriously?" she asked, standing upright, eyes wide, "I'm not much of a dog person ..." she said, "and cats think my tail is a toy," she said, thumbing over to it.

He chuckled, "Well, be glad you haven't met any on the Scare floor yet," he said, "last thing they want to do is play with you. They think the Scarers are intruders and well, basically we are ..."

"Have you ever gotten bitten?" she asked.

He gritted his teeth, "_Ehh_ ... once." he said, holding up his hand to show her the scar that she'd seen earlier but didn't think it was much to ask about. She took his hand in his and he continued, "It's not much; I've seen monsters get hurt much worse," he said.

"At least it's not the same hand I slammed in the door," she said with a humorless chuckle, running her finger gently across the jagged scar.

"Heh, yeah ..." he said, and sighed, "Look- don't get angry at yourself over that again. I told you I had worse."

"How much worse?" she asked, looking up to him and raising an eyebrow.

He laughed humorlessly, "No way - I'm not telling you. I don't want to get you upset."

"Upset? Over _you_?" she asked sarcastically, with a shake of her head, "You think too highly of yourself." She said with a grin, and folded his fingers gently into a fist before letting him go.

"So ..." he rubbed his neck nervously as he asked awkwardly, "you wanna watch a movie or something?"

She couldn't help but smirk at his embarrassment, and replied simply, "Sure."

He nodded "_Right _... um ..." he looked around his TV area, "Haven't got much out here ... I'll find something; hang on," he headed down the hall into his bedroom and swung the door mostly shut behind him with his tail. "You can take a seat if you'd like," he called. She later heard him stumble on something and mutter a swear word to himself, and she couldn't help but giggle.

They watched a movie called Young Frankenstein, the human version (as monsters were able to get ahold of and detoxify some human things for their own usage, but it was often just movies.) There was a monster-fied version out there, but they discovered they both preferred the original much more.

Randall was tired and wound up falling asleep halfway through. Not that the movie had anything to do with it - she'd noticed he'd looked like he was lacking sleep lately, so she didn't wake him. Instead, she nestled herself into the crook of his neck, and continued to watch the film until she too had fallen asleep.

---

They woke up at the same time, in each other's arms. Sandra jumped when she realized this, and quickly began to act casual, "Thankfully it's Saturday or we'd be late for work ..." was all she could come up with.

Randall just chuckled.

* * *

**(A/N)-** Sorry!! Be glad it's moving along. I won't let this die! ... Please review. :3


	13. Crash and Burn

**(A/N)- **Thank you so much to all my reviewers!! I know this probably isn't the best chapter but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same. I'm still paying attention to it and I'm trying to get it done.

* * *

**Chapter 13 - Crash and Burn**

* * *

Sandra avoided Randall for several days after that. She always found herself taking one step forward, and then two steps back. She just wanted to stay friends with him for now, that was all. She was just afraid that they were moving too quick, and she didn't want to see this relationship end, no matter how awkward it made her feel sometimes.

She couldn't avoid him completely, however. She allowed him to join her in the morning as she walked to work, but she rarely spoke. Once, he'd asked her why she was so quiet, and she'd just dismissed it, saying she wasn't feeling very well. He didn't ask again. She had a feeling he might know why she was so quiet ... and eventually, after feeling awkward about speaking without striking a conversation with her for less than a minute, he too stayed quiet.

The two of them sort of drifted, for a while ... Sandra liked it to some degree, because she no longer felt so awkward but ... well, he was her only real friend, aside from Roz. She was bound to miss him.

The daily routine of work was dragging her down, emotionally and physically. She couldn't sleep, because her mind was clouded with thoughts of Randall and how she should behave towards him, if she should talk to him again, if she should take it one step further ... she was confused.

And then a call came that really made her collapse under all the thoughts and emotions that ran through her head.

-=-=-

Just as she was getting ready for work, her phone rang. It was her brother.

"Hey Sammy," she greeted, happy to be speaking to him again after so long, "What's up?"

"Hey sis," he said, not-so-cheerfully, "Just calling to let you know that grandma died."

"Oh ..." well, that hit her like a ton of bricks. Sure her grandmother was old, but she was so full of life that it was hard to believe, "How'd she die?"

"Natural causes, I think."

"You _think_?"

"Well, I dunno, Sandy!" he said, a little irritated, "I found it in the paper the other day, you know, the obituary ..." he explained, "I went to the funeral home to find out that I wasn't allowed in, that it was a private wake and it was for family members only. You can only imagine what followed ..."

She groaned, "Ugh, I don't want to."

"I wasn't on the list." he continued anyway, "So I tried to explain to the guy, and he wouldn't listen. He asked for my name, and when I told him, his eyes got all wide and he was all like '_OH_ no, you aren't allowed in there'. As if I was some kinda criminal!"

"Did you see mom or dad?"

He scoffed, "Nah. Didn't fight with the guy long enough for them to come out. They're the last people on earth I ever want to see, and I can assume they feel the same way about us."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right ..."

"Well, anyway ... how've you been?"

"Okay, I guess ... I'm a Scarer now," she said disgustedly.

"Seriously?" he laughed, "That's awesome!"

"I guess," she replied simply, not wanting to make a big deal about it. "And you?" She definitely wasn't about to mention Randall - of all monsters, her brother was most protective of her when it came to guys, especially after her last boyfriend.

"Oh," he laughed nervously, "Well, remember how I said I was gonna get married?"

"Hence the word '_engaged_'," she replied dully, "Wait, don't tell me you messed this one up too!"

"Nope, I didn't - we're _married_!" he exclaimed happily, "I would've invited you but you know, Trace didn't want a big wedding ... it was really just me and the kids. And the priest of course."

"Sounds exciting," she teased.

"Yeah, well, she'd spent so much on her first marriage and she didn't want to go overboard, you know?"

"Yeah ..."

"Well, you should come and visit someday."

"Someday."

"All right, well, I gotta go."

"Same here."

"Bye sis."

"Bye ..."

After she hung up, she felt ... well, numb. Sure she was sad about her grandma dying, but it was much more than that ... she knew her brother was going to get married, but just to hear that he did was so official ... he was 5 years younger than her! Shouldn't the oldest be married first, or something? And to top it off, she knew Tracey was a 'cold hearted snake' as her brother called her, way back in high school when he never gave her a second glance. Sandra wondered if he had fallen in love with her or her children.

Point was, Tracey didn't like Sandra and was bound to shut her off from him. She had done the same to her own family, so it was pretty inevitable.

A buzz from the intercom awakened her from her thoughts. She answered it, and it was Randall. She almost forgot.

"You comin' to work?"

"Yeah ..."

-=-=-

It was just a regular old day at work. Sandra didn't tell Randall about her brother or her grandma; in fact she behaved as if nothing was wrong at all. That is, until it came time to leave. Randall had to stay to do some mysterious extra work at the company, and Sandra just wanted to go home and sleep.

"You'll be all right walking home?" he asked.

She nodded, and replied in a small voice, "Yeah, I'll be fine."

She didn't like that he spent so much time doing extra work for Waternoose, but what could she say about it? They weren't dating or anything- it shouldn't matter to her. It wasn't really her business.

-=-=-

Randall came around to her apartment a couple hours later. She'd found herself crying over the loss of her grandmother as well as other things, and quickly hurried to dry her eyes after answering the intercom and letting him come upstairs.

It still wasn't enough. He saw her eyes were red and she'd looked as if she'd been crying. His smile upon greeting her had faded quickly when he saw that.

"What's the matter?" he asked, "Have you been crying?"

"No, no," she brushed aside, forcing a grin, "It's nothing ..."

"It doesn't look like nothing," he said, and carefully touched her cheek, and was surprised when she didn't back away or anything- she just leaned into the touch.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I'm just not feeling very well, that's all," she said quietly, and when he made to pull his hand back, she quickly put her hand over his, holding it snugly to her face. She looked to the floor as fresh tears started to form. Randall swiftly made to embrace her in order to comfort her, and she returned the gesture because she had been seeking some comfort.

She pulled him close to her, nestling her tearstained face against his cool scales. She took a deep breath of contentment and closed her eyes a moment. He was gently rocking her side to side as he tried to calm her, and ran his fingers along her fronds before caressing her back through her shirt.

"It's okay ..." he mumbled into her ear, though he wasn't sure what had caused her grief.

They stood there for a while, just holding each other. Eventually, she pulled away, looking at him, her eyes no longer glassy. The air around them suddenly felt colder when she was no longer resting against him.

"I'm going to take a nap," she murmured.

He nodded, "Okay ..." he slowly pulled away from her, "Call me if you need me."

She nodded, looking down for a moment. She watched him leave, and it was her pride that didn't allow her to ask him to stay. She wished she could. She needed someone around ... but she hated herself for that. It was wrong to depend on anybody, really. They'd only let her down. She only wished she kept that in mind when she was around Randall, but ... well, it was proving to be harder everyday.

She spent the rest of the day lying on her bed, making traces in the fabric with her claws, until she fell asleep.

* * *

**(A/N)-** Yeah. Angsty. Sorry. Is old. Please review. More coming soon.


	14. Fine

**(A/N)-** WARNING!! SHORT. I am trying to get this out ... and the next one will be longer and better, don't worry. It's one of my favorites. I am just so busy with work now and it'll only get busier as summer rolls around if I stay here that long ... so don't expect this to get done any time soon. It will be done. That's all I can say.

** And please don't spam up the review box with reviews. Prodding never worked with me when it comes to my creative outputs. :P

* * *

**Chapter 14 - Fine

* * *

**

Nearly a week had passed since.

It was mid-October now ... the days were getting colder, and Sandra was seeing less and less of Randall every day. Sure, she made the effort, and he made even more of an effort to see her, but what with him working extra hours for Waternoose, for who knows what ... well, it was difficult. Whenever she did see him, he was usually tired-looking and worn out. He'd constantly claim to be 'fine', but if they went to see a movie or did anything that required sitting down, he'd fall asleep. She didn't like that very much, but she didn't dare wake him. He looked like he needed it.

And then, there was a charity event at the company, supporting research for the deadly Monsteritis, an incurable cancer of the tonsils. Sandra allowed 5 cents out of every two dollars towards the research, as did Randall apparently, since he was also present at the event. Only fundraisers or fundraisers-to-be were allowed to attend. Free food and drink was the incentive really, for anyone to go, and for most mons to join. Sure it was nice to help a cause, but other than the food and drink, it was mostly talking and thanking of the fundraisers for about four hours into the night.

She made to approach Randall, but quickly saw that Sullivan got to him first. She couldn't make out what he said, but Randall looked annoyed, and Sullivan eventually backed off. She watched as he headed over to speak to Waternoose.

Randall was drinking some punch and nearly choked on it in surprise when he saw Sandra coming towards him.

"You're here?" he coughed.

"Obviously," she said, and raised a brow, "You don't want me to be?"

"Nah, I do, it's just I'm surprised ..." he said, "I mean, not everyone comes to these things ..."

"You really shouldn't be here," she said, noticing the dark circles that have begun to form under his once-brilliant now-dull green eyes, "You look awful."

"I'm fine." he growled, his teeth baring slightly.

She cut him a nasty look, "I'm sorry I worry about your health."

"I appreciate that you worry," he said, but it didn't sound like he meant it, "but don't worry, because I'm _fine_."

"Fine." she replied simply, shrugging as she looked down. Her red eyes soon flickered to his, "You don't _look_ fine."

"I _am_ fine," he insisted.

"Fine."

Silence hung between them, and Sandra eventually made to go talk to Roz, but Randall shook his fronds and touched her arm gently.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I haven't seen you in so long. I don't want to fight."

"I just worry about you," she said, "As a _friend_," she added as an afterthought, "You work way too late. It's not exactly a healthy lifestyle, you know."

"I know ..." he said, but she felt he was only agreeing with her as to not start a fight, and she wanted him to actually believe she was right because she felt she was, but she really didn't want to wind up arguing with him.

Randall narrowed his eyes across the room, and she went to follow his gaze, but he stopped her.

"Don't look," he said, "He sees us."

"Who?"

"Waternoose."

She snorted with laughter, "So?" She understood why Waternoose may not appreciate them being together, _if_ they were a couple, but they weren't, and she quickly reminded him.

"Still," he said, "I just don't like it."

"Wait, _you_ don't like it or _he_ won't like it?" she asked, trying to get this straight.

"He's just nosey, that's all," Randall dismissed, looking about the room, "I don't like him knowing who I'm associated with."

"Not good enough for you then?" she teased, folding her arms.

"You're too good for me," he replied with a smile, looking at her, and she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

Randall's smile soon faded though, and he glared in the direction of Waternoose as the crab monster laughed wholeheartedly at something Sullivan said.

She grabbed his arm and dragged him off easily because he let her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Getting you away from him," she said, and finally stopped at the other side of the room, an area where Waternoose was hidden by the crowd and definitely out of earshot. She didn't like how he looked when he saw Waternoose. So much anger in his eyes ... there had to be more reason behind it than he'd ever let her know.

"Well now he's definitely going to assume something, now that we've run off together," Randall said, a mischievous smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Good, let him assume, because _nothing_ is gonna happen," she replied firmly, giving him a teasing grin, and he looked at her in mock disappointment.

She wanted to press him as to what really went on between him and Waternoose to instill such anger in Randall, but she knew he wouldn't tell her. He'd only get testy, and she didn't like it when he got mad.

"So what now?" he asked, hands folded behind his back as he looked expectantly to her, "Will you go out with me again?"

She smirked, and opened her mouth to say 'yes', but decided to tease him and said "No."

"Why not?" he asked with an annoyed sigh.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"_Because_." she grinned, and although she hadn't wanted to get him angry, she did like to tease him. She succeeded. He was getting annoyed. So she finally answered.

"I don't like to go '_out_', and besides, you yourself said you don't want to be seen with me."

"No- I just don't want Wa--" she put a claw to his lips to shush him, and he looked surprised a moment, but returned her amused look with an annoyed stare.

"You can come over my house, or I can go over your house" she said "as _friends_," she added firmly when he smiled.

"All right," he said, throwing his hands up in defense, "but just so you know, it's not everyday a woman stays 'friends' with me. _No one_ can resist my charm."

She scoffed with a smile, "Yeah right." she shook her head with a laugh, "You are just too full of yourself."

They spent that night outside once the speech began, because it was long and boring and too many monsters gathered in close. Thankfully they both had jackets on, for the cold weather would've been too much for their scales, but it would still be better to freeze then to be in that crowded room.

And even though she wanted to be 'just friends' with Randall, she wound up resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the starry sky. He didn't complain, of course. She hoped she wasn't sending him the wrong message, but she probably was. She was just afraid of getting hurt again, but she seemed not to think at all about the possibility that _she_ could be the one causing the hurt this time around.

* * *

**(A/N)-** See? Short. I warned you. I'm basically spilling the inner crap out in an attempt to get to the good bits ... something I will NOT do when I publish a book, I assure you. ;P Reviews please! :D


	15. It Doesn't Matter

**(A/N)-** Trying to get back in the swing of this story, but right now I'm mostly focused on paying for an apartment and working at Magic Kingdom every chance I get. I'll have time for this again, don't worry. ;P Enjoy! This is one of my favorite chapters. :D

* * *

**Chapter 15 - It Doesn't Matter

* * *

**

They walked to work together the next morning, as usual. Randall took to holding her hand in the view of other employees. She knew he shouldn't risk it, if he feared Waternoose suspecting something, but she felt a part of him was trying to show her he wasn't afraid. And she did find it brave of him, but still, she didn't want him to wind up worrying about it later if Waternoose asked him about her.

Randall was walking Sandra to her Scare floor when they heard a voice call after them.

"Hey Randall!"

Sandra looked around to see the big furry blue monster that Randall loathed. He approached them with a cheery grin.

"Sullivan," Randall growled back, and she felt his hand tense up as she held it.

He stopped in front of them and grinned, "How've you been?" he asked. Randall just glowered at him as if he were stupid or something. Sullivan's smile faltered. Sandra glanced awkwardly between the two. She finally had the courage to break the silence, and extended a hand towards Sullivan.

"Hi, I'm Sandra ... Clemens," she added, worried that Randall might think she was being too friendly with him if she let him go on a first-name basis.

"Pleased to meet you," he said, and shook her hand, "I'm James P. Sullivan."

Randall snorted under his breath, "Everyone knows already."

She rolled her eyes at him for being so rude - sure there was competition on her Scare floor, but that didn't make anyone enemies, of all things. She supposed it was different for Randall because the top Scarer position had been his for a while, and he wasn't prepared to lose it.

She squeezed his hand, and he finally snapped to Sullivan, "Well, whaddaya want?"

Sullivan wasn't bothered by his snippiness - in fact he seemed to expect it. He responded to it with a friendly smile, "They're going to film a new commercial for the company in a couple of months," he said, "Waternoose told me. He said they'll put the Scarers from our floor in it, you know, to promote our cause, what with the Scream shortage and all ..."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, his eyes glancing to Sandra for a split second, before he said in mock cheerfulness to Sullivan, "So, you're getting friendly with Waternoose, huh?" he asked.

"Well, on a professional level ..." Sullivan said, "He's a pretty nice guy."

"Yeah, just watch your back around him," Randall muttered, almost inaudibly. She couldn't believe he was giving Sullivan what she supposed would be good advice, since he'd said pretty much the same to her.

"Well, I'll see you on the Scare floor later," Sullivan finished up with a wave, "And nice to meet you, Miss. Clemens!"

"Same here," she said politely as Sullivan headed off. Randall practically pulled her along, stopping by the opposite wall. He held her by both her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes.

"_Same here_? What's the _matter_ with you?" he asked incredulously.

"What's the matter with _you_?" she hissed back, shrugging him away, "I know you don't like the guy but you could at least try some common courtesy!"

"Common _courtesy_?" he laughed, "Are you kidding? That guy's a phony - he only pretends to be nice but he's lookin' to put me out of my title!" he snapped, trying to keep his voice low, "Possibly out of a job to boot!"

"Randall, give me a break," she said seriously, "I know you love that title and all but there wouldn't _be_ a title if it wasn't something that others considered to be a position of worthiness or whatever the hell you wanna call it," she explained, "I think it's natural for the others to compete for that title, don't you?"

He scoffed, "Oh, whaddoyou care about that title - it doesn't _matter_ on your floor but it matters here!"

That did it. She stared at him in disbelief, "Doesn't matter?" she asked, appalled. She laughed humorlessly, "Oh, I get it now, so ... _my_ job doesn't matter but _yours_ does?"

"I didn't mean it like that, Sandra," he said flatly.

"Oh yeah? Well then why did you say it?" she asked.

He watched her a moment, but when he opened his mouth to answer, she took off.

"Well, I'm off to work, not that it _matters_."

"Aw, c'mon, Sandra!" he protested, calling after her, "Don't be like that!"

She pretended not to hear him as she headed off to her Scarefloor. Randall let out a frustrated sigh before storming off to his station.

-----

After his shift ended, Randall heard from Roz that they just had the CDA quarantine Sandra's Scare floor.

By the time he'd rushed over there, the CDA were gone and the Scare floor was empty. He went and asked the secretary of the floor, and he said that a dog had gotten loose after biting someone - exactly who it bit, he wasn't sure. Randall suspected the secretary had probably pulled down his window amidst the decontamination process, afraid that he too would get bit.

Fearing it had been Sandra who'd gotten bit, he hurried over to the infirmary, and his worst fears were confirmed.

Sandra sat there in the first room on the table, her right back leg getting bandaged up by a nurse. She didn't see him; she just watched the nurse, her eyes a little glassy as she winced every so often and snapped at the nurse to be more gentle.

Her bubblegum-pink assistant had suddenly leapt up in his face, waving and grinning insanely.

"Hey Sandra's boyfriend!" she greeted, causing Sandra to look over, "Sandra got bitten by a bulldog! Isn't that crazy?! She's lucky to be alive right now!"

"Yeah, thanks erm ... Cloey." he muttered; his eyes hadn't left Sandra, but she had long since looked away, looking madder than before she had known he was there.

"You okay?" he asked. She pretended not to hear him, but the nurse answered once she saw who he was.

"Don't worry, Mr. Boggs; your friend here is doing fine. She'd just gotten some deep lacerations but they'll certainly heal over time. She's lucky to have gotten him off of her before he could cause any more damage."

Sandra and Randall shared a quick glance, but she looked away again, furrowing her brows.

"I'll be back with your antibiotics," the nurse said as she got to her feet and headed out down the hallway.

They stayed there in silence, that is, until Cloey bounced right back in, "_Amazing_, huh? _And_ she had the nerve to help _catch_ the dog afterwards! Me, I would've just ran for it like ... _AHHH_!!!"

"That's _enough_, Cloey!" Sandra snapped ferociously, causing her assistant's insane grin to disappear immediately. Now the three of them stayed there in silence, until Sandra broke it with an angry "_Leave_!!" as she lunged her head forward as if to bite her. The sudden movement caused her to wince painfully. She tried to hide it but it didn't go unnoticed by Randall.

Cloey squeaked in surprise and ran for it. Randall, quite taken aback by her anger, turned to leave as well.

"Not _you_," she said gruffly, her red eyes locking with his before she stared at the floor, "You stay." she muttered.

"Sandra, look ... I'm sorry about what I said earlier ..."

"Don't be," she said casually, almost calm but Randall felt afraid she was saying it in mockery, "My anger towards you had helped me to get as much scream as I did today, until that stupid dog had to jump outta nowhere ..."

"I guess we should fight more often then?" Randall offered with a nervous laugh. She simply raised a brow at him. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I would've been here sooner but I didn't find out about it until after my shift was over."

"It's alright," she mumbled, barely audibly.

"And again, I'm really sorry about earlier ..." he added earnestly.

"No, you're right," she said, "my job doesn't matter as much as yours--"

"Sandra .."

"Let me finish!" she snapped, "Your floor is the top-top, and mine is down by the bottom I think ... so yeah, it doesn't matter to the world as much as your job does, but it matters to me because it's my form of income, and now I realize I am literally risking my life and limbs going in and out of those doors ..." she said disgustedly, "you just need to watch about how you say things. To hear you say something cruel like that ... well, I don't like it. You come across really mean to others, and though you're not so mean to me most of the time, well ...." she paused, rubbing her neck in agitation, "I don't like to see you mean. At all."

He nodded and didn't say a word. He wound up looking to his feet shamefully as Sandra stared him down.

The nurse came bustling in at the next moment, "Okay, take one of these pills each day and it'll help your body to heal quicker. If there are any problems let me know," she said.

"Thanks," Sandra murmured, getting off the table. It hurt her a bit to walk, and Randall moved swiftly to support her around her shoulders, which earned him an irritated glance from her.

"Oh, and you'll need to change those bandages every night of course," she said, "Best to take them off in the shower to help clean the wound," she added, and reached for a bottle of peroxide.

"Don't worry," Randall said to the nurse, his arm still around Sandra, "I still have the bottle you gave me at home," he said with an uneasy grin.

"Right, ," the nurse said with a laugh, "Seems like you're in luck, Miss Clemens- you've got a professional to help you through the healing process."

Sandra snorted in disbelief, shaking her head as she looked away, pushing herself out of Randall's arms.

---

"You _can't_ _walk_, Sandra."

"I'm halfway down the hallway - _yeah_, I'd call that walking," she replied bitterly.

"Really? Looks to me like you're limping," he retorted.

"Oh, what do you know? I'm perfectly fine." she said, breathing sharply through her teeth as she accidently put pressure on the injured leg.

"I happen to know a lot about those kinds of injuries." Randall said smugly.

"Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot" she said sarcastically, "You're the freakin' bite-master!" she exclaimed, and stumbled into the wall beside her. Randall, who was staying close and waiting for something like that to happen, quickly grabbed her from underneath her armpits and helped her off her knees.

"Want me to carry you?" he offered.

"I am _not_ going to be seen being carried out of this building!" she nearly shouted, "How dramatic is _that_ going to look?"

"Would you rather your foot fall off?"

"That's not going to happen," she growled, pushing his arms away. She thought a moment, and asked, "Is it?"

He chuckled, "Nah, I'm just messing with you."

She fought back a smile and socked him playfully in the stomach.

"So you're just going to limp your way out?"

"Yep."

"You do realize that once you get to the parking lot, there won't be any walls to hold onto."

She realized this, and replied confidently, "Then I'll hold onto cars."

"And what about the walk home?" he asked with a smirk.

She stopped, and turned to him, sneering as she tried to fight back a smile, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Nahh," he assured, but she didn't believe him, "Just that I didn't have someone to carry me whenever I got injured."

She snorted, "Ah yes, all those countless times ..." she smirked, "I'll bet you made Fungus carry you, or at least make him bring his car around."

"Nah," he replied, chuckling, "I was too stuck-up to ask for help, back then."

"And you're not now?" she asked in disbelief, and applied way too much pressure to her back leg, and wound up losing her balance, crashing into Randall, who quickly helped her back on her feet.

"At least let me help you along," he insisted, "Unless you really want to fall every couple of feet."

"_Fine_," she replied with a reluctant sigh, giving in. She didn't like the pain and giving in to him would make him shut up. She didn't push his arms away this time. Instead, she leant into him as she hobbled along, "Y'know, you'd think that it'd be easy to function with three out of four legs!" she laughed. And then something occurred to her, "What if Waternoose sees?"

"He's probably arguing with the CDA someplace," he dismissed, "He won't see us. And if he does, why should he care? I'm just helping out a fellow employee," he said innocently with a grin, "Don't think too far into it." he said, copying what she had said to him a while after they had first met.

She rolled her eyes, resting her head into the crook of his neck as they made their way across the lobby.

"I'm still angry with you, you know ..." she reminded.

"I know."

"But thank you," she said quietly, nuzzling closer to him.

He smiled softly as he rested his head comfortably on top of hers, "Don't mention it."

* * *

**(A/N)-** Review please but **NOT IN EXCESS**!!** Stephanie Phelps**. :P I like that you like this story, but please don't spam up my review box.


	16. It Matters

**(A/N)-** SORRY IT'S SHORT! Yes, I know I said it was discontinued, but I had a change of heart ... sorta. I have a LOT of this story still on my computer, just many of the chapters aren't sequenced, so I'm going to make an attempt to sort of 'stitch' them back together. If things seem like they're a little 'too rushed' please just assume that there were a couple weeks in between the chapters or something. I feel bad letting the fanfiction die, even though it's an overdramatic mess ... And the constant additions of new Randall/OC fanfiction is just making me lose interest in it completely, I don't know what it is.

Don't get mad because **the next update** I'm going to make is most likely going to be for my unloved/unknown Magic in the Mirror fanfiction. It's due for a new chapter. Just a head's up, I always hate when updates for stories in my inbox give me a mini heart attack.

I'd like to add that the only thing that inspired me to come back to this fanfiction was the Dreamworks movie 'Megamind'.

I also find it creepily ironic (sorta) about the last chapter's title name and the title of this one now.

* * *

**Chapter 16 - It Matters

* * *

**

The sounds of cheering and shouting had erupted near Randall's Scare floor. It could only mean one thing, and her assumptions were confirmed.

"Congrats on beating the Scare record Sulley!" some monster yelled.

"Yeah, seventy-thousand, can you believe it?"

Sandra snorted in disbelief. No, she couldn't believe it - Sullivan just started a couple months ago! It had to be rigged. And besides, she knew Randall wasn't too far behind Sullivan, so what did it matter? Why were guys so competitive that a stupid Scare record mattered so much?

Still, she felt a sudden pang in her heart to know that something that mattered so much to Randall had just been taken from him.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, and craned her neck up to see beyond the crowd that was bustling out of the Scarefloor. She knew Randall wouldn't be amongst them, so he had to be on the floor still ... she couldn't hear anything through the cheering, but she saw Fungus run out of there as quick as he could, holding his helmet to his head and clutching his clipboard tight against his chest. He was in such a hurry that he didn't notice her.

The lights just went out on the Scarefloor as the crowd left the area and their noises faded as they left out into the lobby ... but then their voices echoed as they did, which was completely obnoxious and hoped the storm outside would kill their high spirits ... Roz's window was closed - Sandra didn't hear her slam it shut amongst the cheering.

She bit her lip nervously as she went to go and check the Scarefloor for Randall. He wasn't the crying type - she'd never seen him cry, but if he felt sad enough to cry ... well, she was sure he wouldn't. Wherever he was, he was hiding from her, and she wasn't so sure that she wanted to find him lest it just piss him off.

She didn't hear Roz come out of her office as Sandra stepped out onto the shadowy Scarefloor. Roz just smirked knowingly in her direction and headed home without a word.

"Randall?" she whispered when she didn't see him at his desk area. She heard that subtle sound of him unblending as he asked with an angry sigh, "What?" he snapped.

She turned quickly to see him leaning against the wall opposite the screens. He was so hidden in the shadows she could barely see him.

"You ready to go home?" she asked gently, approaching him.

His emerald eyes glared at her a moment before looking away as he nodded slowly, "In a bit."

"Look ..." she said, cautiously taking his hand in both of her own. She was surprised that he didn't pull away, and instead gripped her hand comfortingly, almost desperately.

"I'm sorry about today," she said.

He shook his head with a sneer as he muttered, "It's not your fault. It's that damned Sullivan ..."

"Randall," she warned, but his anger just grew.

"This isn't the only time it's happened! I don't know why they're congratulating him! What, just because he topped my score by a couple points by the end of the work day he's suddenly top Scarer?" he asked incredulously, throwing his hands up, "I'll just beat him again tomorrow!"

"_Shh_! You're echoing."

"Who cares!" he snapped, running his hand angrily through his fronds.

"I do ..." she answered quietly, but he didn't respond, he just turned away from her, rubbing his neck in his frustration.

She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him about her day yet ... it might just anger him more to have another monster top him ... well, her score didn't matter - she dealt mainly with three to four year olds ... still, she wanted him to get his mind off this Scarer business.

When he turned to lean his back on the wall, she daringly stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him in an awkward hug. She didn't know what came over her - it just seemed like the right thing to do at that moment. He tensed up at the touch but soon eased his muscles and wrapped both pairs of arms around her with a relaxed sigh.

"I'm sorry Sandra," he muttered, "I don't want to take it out on you."

She nodded against his cheek, and smiled, pulling back to look at him, "I got something to tell you that might cheer you up ..."

"What?" he asked, amused at her sly grin.

"Sullivan's score isn't the highest in all of Monsters Inc," she said, "the top Scarer on my floor's got a little over eighty-five thousand points."

His eyes widened in surprise at this, and stared at her, mouth slightly agape, "_You_?" he asked quietly.

"Mm_hmm_," she nodded with a smile, and added sarcastically, mocking him for what he had said earlier, "Of course all I deal with are three to four year olds so it really doesn't - _mmph_!"

She was cut off when Randall suddenly pressed his lips roughly to hers, shocking her as she stared at him with eyes wide. That sudden action sent a jolt down her spine and caused her to blush profusely as her mind raced in circles wondering how she should react to this. She didn't kiss back, and it wasn't long till he pulled away, gazing fearfully into her eyes.

"S-sorry," he managed to choke out, but his eyes wouldn't leave hers. When she didn't respond, he gulped audibly. He made to pull away but she grabbed hold of the nape of his neck and kissed him firmly back, breathing sharply through her nostrils.

She pulled away slightly, her face still very close to his, so close that she could feel his breath on her face, and it smelled of old coffee- perhaps not the greatest of smells, but she loved it. She wondered if she should be responding in such a way to his actions. She loved the warm exciting feeling stirring in her stomach - it was much more wonderful than when she was with her ex, and she wanted more.

He gave her a soft shy kiss, as he held her carefully in both pairs of arms. She went to kiss him back, but she stopped less than an inch from his mouth, "It doesn't really matter, you know," she reminded with a lopsided grin.

"It matters to me," he murmured with a soft smile, and kissed her again. 


End file.
